August 21, 2026

Education services company Navitas has released the results of its 2026 Navitas Agent Perception Survey. Results come from 870 education agents worldwide, with the report comparing several top study destinations. In particular, the results showed that trust in Canada as a study destination appeared to be rebounding, with 54% of respondents calling Canada “open and welcoming” to international students, compared to 39% in 2025. The report also revealed that while interest in Canada as a study destination increased relative to its low in 2025, countries like Australia, Germany, and New Zealand saw stronger gains. When considering visa processing, Canada and the United States performed notably worse than other countries examined such as Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

A proposed treaty among the Government of British Columbia and five First Nations could see parcels of Crown land—including Hatley Park, which hosts Royal Roads University and Hatley Castle—transferred from the Government of Canada to five First Nations on the island. The agreement has been in negotiation for 30 years, according to CBC. If the land is transferred to Songhees Nation, lawyer Robert Janes explained that the university would be able to purchase the land from the nation. CBC reports that the discussions have generated concerns about the future of the castle and access to the property among some members of the public.

Laurentian University and Creative Destruction Lab will collaborate on a national platform for Canada’s geological data. The initiative will advance the Canadian Digital Core Library, which digitizes Canada’s geological record and makes it openly available. Laurentian will receive up to $1M over two years from Creative Destruction Lab for a dedicated research program that will run until March 2028. “We are committed to enabling innovation within the mining industry and continuing our collaborative work with industry partners,” said Laurentian VP, Research Dr Tammy Eger.

Dalhousie University has launched the Atlantic AI Institute (A2I2), designed to further AI research, education, and innovation. This initiative will bring together researchers, students, partners, and communities to work together on AI. A2I2 will include collaborative and cross-disciplinary research that will build on work at Dal’s Institute for Big Data Analytics. Its work is organized around three pillars: research, academics, and community. “It’s a strategic priority for our researchers and University to have leading Research Institutes that can foster new ideas and educate new talent in transdisciplinary topics that ultimately elevates our economy and social impact—and A2I2 will leverage Dalhousie’s robust research expertise in AI to support those priorities,” said Dal VP Research and Innovation Graham Gagnon.

In a new article for The Conversation, Sibo Chen (Toronto Metropolitan University) argues that universities need to teach students about using AI with judgement and accountability. “They need accountable AI literacy: the ability to explain why they used AI, assess what it produced and take responsibility for the resulting work,” writes Chen. The author discusses how to ensure that students learn to use AI while keeping their reasoning visible, what accountable AI use looks like, and the importance of keeping communication education at the centre of AI education.

The Autorité des marchés publics has found that Concordia University violated public contracting rules in relation to the reconstruction of its Loyola Campus sports dome. In its decision, the AMP noted that due to the value of the contract, the university should have proceeded by public tender rather than an invitation-only tendering process. The AMP recommended that the university’s board of governors establish procedures to ensure that public tender is excepted only when justified, provide training to staff in contract management, and improve recording and retention policies. The decision requires that Concordia’s board of governors respond within 45 days with action taken and explanation of how the actions respond to the AMP’s recommendations.

Western University’s biology department is grappling with the impacts of a power outage that affected four buildings on campus. University of Western Ontario Faculty Association President Kim Verwaayen said that the facilities have experienced several outages since last year, affecting conditions for living organisms, enzymes, and other research materials. “For some research, you can’t just turn everything back on when the power returns,” Verwaayen explained. “What is lost during a prolonged outage can mean months of work and months of progress gone.” Western researchers also fear that the frequent outages could jeopardize tens of millions in annual research funding. Students, faculty, and staff are urging Western to improve communication during outages and to modernize the campus electrical system.

The University of Calgary has opened its free Ready for Entrepreneurial Thinking micro-credential to all UCalgary students following a successful pilot program. The 12-hour course helps students identify problems and solutions, manage uncertainty, and bring ideas to life. “The future is uncertain, and Ready for Entrepreneurial Thinking prepares students to face any challenges and turn them into opportunities to make our world a better place,” explained UCalgary VP Academic Dr Sandra Davidson. While all students can enrol in the course, the university said that it is especially encouraging first- and second-year students to sign up.

Creating accessible education for mature learners requires institutions to examine key friction points in the process, according to Dr Lisa R Braverman (City University of New York). Braverman begins by explaining that many potential adult learners face difficulties before even enrolling. Using e-commerce websites as a model, she says that institutional websites should be easy to navigate, answer key questions, and seamlessly allow for registration and payment. Braverman continues by saying that institutions should tailor education offerings for adult learners, providing flexible, accelerated, or personalized pathways. Ultimately, Braverman concludes that catering to these students requires engagement with adult learning professionals and sustained commitment at the institutional and executive level.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University will be expanding its initiatives at the KPU Farm through new three-year funding from TD. Musqueam First Nation will guide the farm’s development of an Indigenous Medicine Garden, while a Traditional Chinese Medicine Garden will be developed alongside the university’s Traditional Chinese Medicine program. The funding will also support other initiatives, including community workshops and events, the construction of an outdoor teaching and gathering space, and the planting of native plants. “These ‘living classrooms’ are meant to reflect the cultural diversity of Richmond, where the KPU Farm is located, and put reconciliation into practice,” said KPU Chair of the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems program Dr Rebecca Harbut.