August 18, 2023

The Government of New Brunswick and eight postsecondary institutions have joined forces to launch the Study NB initiative. This initiative uses a new website to attract more students to NB by providing information about the opportunities available at the province’s postsecondary institutions. Collaborating institutions include: Collège communautaire de Nouveau Brunswick, Maritime College of Forest Technology, Mount Allison University, New Brunswick College of Craft and Design, New Brunswick Community College, St Thomas University, Université de Moncton, and the University of New Brunswick. “This initiative will enable each of the participating institutions to benefit from a common showcase to promote their best assets while helping with recruitment and promoting the four corners of this beautiful province,” said UMoncton VP, Academic and Research Gilles Roy.

Ontario’s Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board (PEQAB) recently published a draft proposal for the Ontario Micro-Credential Quality Assurance Framework. The draft proposes the creation of an official Ontario Micro-Credential (OMC), a formal qualification that typically takes under 40 instructional hours to complete and that is offered by or in partnership with quality assured institutions. Six distinct OMCs are proposed, one for each primary category of qualification within the Ontario Quality Framework. Contact North | Contact Nord has already issued a response to the draft, stating that it addresses some of the concerns noted within the sector and outlines the need for more attention to issues such as competency assessment, out-of-province institutions and providers, and increasing the value that OMCs hold for employers.

Statistics Canada has published a study of the educational attainment and labour outcomes of immigrants who were admitted to Canada as permanent residents in 2010 while in the core working age of 25 to 54 years old. Overall, principal applicants graduated from Canadian postsecondary institutions at a rate of 13.7%, with this rate being higher among female applicants (14.2%) than among their male counterparts (12.8%), and higher among applicants who resided in Quebec (15.8%). Economic applicants who returned to PSE in Canada typically studied at a similar or lower level than the educational qualifications they already had. The researchers found that those who completed a Canadian postsecondary credential had better employment outcomes than their counterparts who did not attend Canadian higher ed. They noted that the data suggest that some immigrants have difficulties getting their qualifications recognized in Canada and encouraged further research into the reasons for immigrants’ return to education.

The University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine will be expanding its Northern Engagement and Community Outreach (NECO) program. The NECO program offers various services”including spay-neuter and wellness appointments”at remote clinics in regions such as La Ronge and ÃŽle à la Crosse. Upper year students who take part in the program receive cultural awareness and community education sessions, which include the opportunity to hear from community Elders about culture and history. “One of the first steps in this next phase of NECO is starting a needs assessment plan,” said NECO Registered Veterinary Technologist Katara Chanin. “We’ve been talking with communities and gaining an understanding of their main concerns, and that will flow into the next phase of determining education needs.” The expansion is supported by a $405K contribution from PetSmart Charities of Canada.

Lakehead University has announced that it has received approval from the Government of Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities to offer a Bachelor of Engineering program in Mechatronics Engineering. Lakehead Professor Wilson Wang spearheaded the creation of the program and will serve as the program coordinator. The program will integrate topics such as business, law, and public safety, with sustainability and co-op at the core of the program. Students in the program will learn to create technologies that support the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Graduates of Lakehead’s engineering technology diploma can complete the degree in two years.

Dawson College is preparing for the coming impact of Bill 96, the Government of Quebec’s new language reform law. Under Bill 96, students at English cégeps like Dawson will reportedly be required to take at least three 45-hour courses in French starting in Fall 2024. As a result, Dawson and other English cégeps are focused on restructuring their staff training, hiring processes, and curriculum. Dawson Director General Diane Gauvin said that they are currently assessing how many of their teachers will be able to teach in French and starting to arrange appropriate language training.

Selkrik College was recently recognized for its sustainability efforts by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), which reports on postsecondary institutions’ sustainability efforts through its Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) program. Selkirk attained a silver STARS rating in AASHE’s latest report, receiving full points in landscape management and biodiversity and scoring well on campus and community engagement. “Sustainability needs to be at the forefront of everything that we do, and it’s vitally important that we lead by example,” said Selkirk Sustainability Coordinator Kayla Tillapaugh.

At NOSM University, unionized faculty and staff represented by NOSM U Faculty and Staff Association have voted 100% in favour of a strike mandate. The union stated that they want to see key issues related to workload addressed, including compensation, benefits, and working conditions. “The most significant issue is a fair and equitable workplace,” said NUFSA President Darrel Manitowabi. “We are aiming to be the same as those in the south and to be comparable to other universities.” reports that NOSM U and the union are currently in negotiation talks and that no strike deadline has been set.

Université de Sherbrooke’s Centre de technologies avancées BRP (CTA) has received $850K from the Government of Canada to contribute to Quebec’s green transition. This boost will enable the CTA to acquire specialized equipment for research and development in the clean vehicle technologies sector, including a test bench for small engines, an electronic press, and software for prototyping. “This government assistance will enable us to better meet the needs of Quebec and Canadian businesses, while training highly qualified labour,” said CTA General Manager Pascal Ranger.

Several initiatives across Ontario have highlighted the issues of food literacy and insecurity on campus. Durham College has launched a program called “Food IQ: Growing Minds, Growing Plates,” which seeks to improve student food literacy by educating students about accessible, affordable healthy food. As part of the initiative, Durham’s Farmer’s Market will be brought to the Oshawa campus and wellness coaches will deliver programming on mindful eating and healthy habits. At the University of Guelph, theatre students will soon unveil “Future Food Visions,” an immersive audio experience that will be held at the Guelph Farmers’ market. The experience will share the history of food and food insecurity. York University has launched a bilingual food resources website, which provides users with a list of tools and information to help them navigate food supports across campus.