August 27, 2024

According to the Fédération des cégeps, this fall has seen the largest increase in cégep enrolment in 25 years. The Canadian Press reports that approximately 184,709 students are enrolled in Québec’s cégeps this year, with 45% in pre-university programs, 49% in technical education, and 6% in the Cheminement tremplin DEC. Fédération des cégeps CEO Marie Montpetit noted that this surge is likely just the beginning of an upward trend, with enrolment expected to rise by up to 20% over the next decade. Montpetit attributed this growth to population increases and rising unemployment rates among young people aged 15-24.

The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and Vancouver Island University have partnered to bring the Indigenous Student Success Program to Alberta. VIU—which offers an Indigenous Intern Leadership Program that the student success program is based on—has expanded this type of offering into AB, with SAIT signing on as an early adopter. Under the Indigenous Student Success Program, SAIT’s Indigenous graduates can apply to two-year internship positions at Alberta companies, where they will gain access to leadership development, networking, and alumni activities. “The Indigenous Intern Leadership Program is playing a critical role in British Columbia to ensure the transition to meaningful work for Indigenous graduates,” said VIU President Dr Deborah Saucier. “We look forward to working with SAIT officials to share our lessons with them as they establish a similar program in Alberta.”

Seneca Polytechnic is introducing eight new programs for the 2024-25 academic year, including its first-ever three-year bachelor’s degrees. The new offerings include three graduate certificate programs in Business Management, Marketing & Communications Strategy, and Medical Esthetics Nursing; two diploma programs in Visual Content Creation and Occupational Therapy Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant; and three bachelor’s degree programs in Business Administration, Computer Science, and Cosmetic Science. “Seneca is proud to add three-year degrees to our robust portfolio of credentials,” said Seneca VP, Academic and International Marianne Marando. “These programs include industry-informed experiential learning opportunities and the transferrable human skills that will give our graduates a competitive advantage today and if they decide to change careers in the future.”

Both Concordia University and McGill University are reporting a decline in undergraduate applications from out-of-province students. According to the Toronto Star, Concordia has seen a 28% decrease in applications from Canadian students from outside of Québec compared to last year, while McGill has experienced a 15% drop. Both institutions have also reported a decline in applications from international students, though they are witnessing a slight uptick in applications from within Québec. This decreased interest in the two anglophone universities reportedly comes in the wake of the Government of Québec’s decision last year to raise tuition for out-of-province students to a minimum of $12K.

In a recent Chronicle of Higher Ed article, Alexander C Kafka highlights a variety of perspectives on the “crisis narrative” of student mental health and student resilience. While the destigmatization of mental health problems has been a positive trend, it has introduced new concerns around how students understand and respond to normal stress and negative emotional experiences. Experts such as Jennifer I DeBurro (University of New England), Rachel L Koch (University of Richmond), Richard Shadick (Pace University), and Sarah Rose Cavanagh (Simmons University) explain how this shift affects student support departments such as counselling and accommodations and offer advice for better supporting students on each of these fronts.

Algonquin College, Carleton University, and the University of Ottawa withdrew from last weekend’s Capital Pride event following a statement published by event organizers. According to the National Post, Capital Pride’s statement regarding the conflict in Gaza caused “significant distress” in the Jewish community. The three postsecondary institutions described their decision to withdraw from the event as “difficult,” but cited concerns about the safety and wellbeing of attendees and the statement’s impact on the event’s atmosphere and inclusivity.

NASA recently launched a rocket carrying experiments developed by teams from nine universities and colleges—including from the University of Alberta—earlier this month. UAlberta project manager Eric Halliwell told CBC that only US citizens are permitted to be on the NASA campus, but that the UAlberta team was granted an exception; CBC adds that UAlberta is the first postsecondary institution outside of the United States to be included in this program. The UAlberta project is focused on understanding the sun’s effect on Earth’s atmosphere. “This sort of fundamental physics work is essential to us populating other parts of the solar system and getting off this floating rock we all live on,” said Halliwell.

York University has announced that it will be launching a PhD program in Disaster and Emergency Management (DEM) in September 2025. The program will link academic study and professional development, focusing on issues relating to disaster management and mitigation. It will include faculty mentorship, relationship development with DEM practitioners, and the development of teaching and public outreach skills. “We are extremely proud to be able to offer Canada’s first-ever PhD program in DEM,” said YorkU Director of the Graduate Program in DEM Aaida Mamuji. “Our research-active faculty, our domestic and international collaborations, having the ADERSIM Lab right on campus and our vibrant York community, we hope, will make our incoming doctoral students thrive as they pursue higher education in disaster studies.”

Georgian College, Lakehead University, and Okanagan College will each offer more housing options for students this Fall. CTV News reports that Georgian and Lakehead are collaborating with SpacesShared to bring home sharing options to students in Orillia. “Offering home sharing as a housing solution for students ensures they can focus on their studies without the added stress of finding and affording a place to live,” said Lakehead Director of Residence Services Shannon Foster. Meanwhile, Okanagan is celebrating the opening of a 216-bed student housing complex on its Kelowna campus and a 101-bed apartment complex on its Vernon campus. The Vernon campus residence will also include a childcare centre to accommodate students with children.

The Association of McGill Professors of Law (AMPL) began an unlimited strike yesterday after failing to reach an agreement with McGill University administration over the summer. AMPL VP Kirsten Anker said that the decision to strike was triggered by the university allegedly cancelling four scheduled negotiation sessions. According to the Canadian Press, McGill no longer believed an agreement could be reached without formal arbitration. This is the second AMPL strike this year; the first lasted eight weeks after classes ended in the spring. The Montréal Gazette reports that this strike is expected to be more disruptive than the first, given that it coincides with the return of students to school.