August 25, 2025

Aurora College and Cape Breton University have each received federal funding through the Climate Action and Awareness Fund (CAAF) to raise awareness about climate change among youth. Aurora has received $1.46M to deliver hands-on and location-based programming relating to climate change in the territory. Aurora says that the project will partner with community organizations and educators to deliver the program. CBU will receive $326K to create a program linking high school classrooms across Canada together as they research local climate problems, with the goal of developing national climate policies. These investments are part of over $14.4M in CAAF funding.

The Université du Québec à Montréal’s Centre d’entrepreneuriat de l’ESG has launched the École entrepreneuriale du notariat in collaboration with the Chambres des notaires du Québec. The school will offer training tailored to the needs of notaries and will teach them the skills necessary to work in independent practice. The school will also prioritize communication and collaborative skills to reduce isolation within the profession. Centre director Martin Deslauriers said that a particular focus of the program is to support notaries who take over an existing notarial business to ensure long-term continuity of the profession.

Lethbridge Polytechnic has received a $2.8M gift from the estate of Joe and Laverna Hranac to support the Lethbridge Polytechnic Research Farm. The gift will be used to support the farm’s operations and improve its capacity for student-focused agricultural research for industry. Leth Polytech Associate VP Research Andrew Dunlop stated that “[the gift] strengthens our ability to respond to emerging challenges in southern Alberta’s agriculture and agri-food sector, specifically in the areas of integrated food production systems, irrigation science and post-harvest technology.”

In a recent article for the New York Times, Ezekiel J Emanuel (University of Pennsylvania) discusses how banning cell phones and computer-based notetaking in class has benefitted his students. Emanuel introduced this policy by showing students a study on how notetaking methods affect information retention. While some students were initially skeptical, they later recognized the learning benefits and reflected their appreciation in course reviews. Emanuel goes on to discuss the impacts phones have on concentration abilities and in-person social interactions. “If bans on phones and computers in classes were widely instituted, students might learn more from their classes, be more willing to speak their minds in class, be more at ease in their social interactions and feel more fulfilled,” writes Emanuel.

Collège Ahuntsic has officially adopted Joyce’s Principle, a set of recommendations developed in memory of Joyce Echaquan—a 37-year-old Atikamekw woman who died in 2020 after experiencing racism in a Québec hospital. The recommendations seek to ensure that all Indigenous Peoples have equitable access to culturally safe, discrimination-free health and social services. The adoption of Joyce’s Principle was spearheaded by a group of students who collected and presented over 200 signatures to the college’s Conseil d’administration. Ahuntsic stated that it plans to work with the Bureau du Principe de Joyce to support implementation and ensure the process is guided by the communities it was created to serve.

The University of Guelph-Humber and Humber Polytechnic Library have introduced a new board game collection aimed at supporting student wellness and creative learning. The collection is available to students and staff and has over 80 games—including Catan, The Last Straw!, and Wingspan. Its purpose is to offer students a low-cost way to unwind, connect with peers, and engage with academic content in new ways. Some instructors are incorporating the games into their teaching to explore topics such as the social determinants of health. “You’re developing strategy, working with teammates or in competition with others,” said Humber Collections Librarian Lindsay Bontje of the initiative. “It’s something fun and cheap.”

A new study from the Institut du Québec has found that young men in Québec aged 22–26 with university degrees are facing disproportionately high rates of unemployment. In early 2025, 11.4% of men in this group were unemployed, compared to 9.9% of all men aged 22-26 and 6.6% of women with degrees in the same age range. Institut du Québec Executive Director Emma Braham attributes the trend to job growth in health and education—fields that tend to hire more women—and slower hiring in male-dominated sectors like construction and transport. The report warns that economic uncertainty related to a potential recession and employer hesitation due to tariffs and trade issues may worsen outcomes, but emphasizes that higher education still offers long-term benefits.

Paid micro-internships are reshaping how institutions prepare adult learners for the workforce in the US, says Shannon McCarty (Calbright College) in an interview for the evoLLLution. McCarty explains that short, flexible, remote internships allow learners to apply skills in real-world settings, bridging the gap between theory and practice. McCarty emphasizes that micro-internships promote equity, support skills-first hiring, and offer accessible pathways for learners balancing work and caregiving. In conclusion, she calls on institutions to embed experiential learning as a strategic imperative and to co-design programs with employers to ensure relevance and workforce alignment. “Partnerships in education must evolve from transactional to transformational,” said McCarty. “That means shifting from simply offering internships to truly co-architecting student experiences with industry and employers.”

Dalhousie University’s Master of Health Administration (MHA) program has renewed its partnership with the Canadian College of Health Leaders. This partnership allows MHA graduates to receive equivalence to the Certified Health Executive designation. The MHA program also aligns with the LEADS in a Caring Environment framework, which defines the necessary attributes of a health leader in Canada. In addition to the CHE designation, Dal says that students will also benefit from career advancement assistance, support for lifelong learning, and peer recognition.

Postsecondary students in Calgary are scrambling to find housing in time for the school year, reports City News. Mount Royal University Director of Resident Services Mark Keller said that the university is expecting all dorm rooms to be filled. Keller explained that MRU is doing its best to accommodate as many students as possible but still has a waitlist. The University of Calgary told City News that it cleared its waitlist last week and that all of its dorms are full. UCalgary Students’ Union Vice President External Julia Law said that while all first-year students who apply before May 1 are guaranteed housing, other students may be choosing to pursue off-campus housing because residences have been full in the past.