December 13, 2023

Trades NL has announced the launch of the College of Skilled Trades NL, which brings together existing training centres in the province under a shared brand. Each campus will have its unique identity and connection to a separate union. The campuses will include the Boilermakers Industrial Training Centre, the Operating Engineers College, the Ironworkers Education and Training Centre, the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters Training Centre, the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Masonry College, and the Heat and Frost Insulators Training Centre; in addition to a virtual construction hub. At each campus, learners will be able to complete pre-apprenticeship training and develop their skills to become a journeyperson and red seal in their skilled trade of interest.

The Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER) recently announced five new work-integrated learning partnerships that are supported by the Government of Canada. The partnerships will provide over 3,000 students with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in high-demand sectors. Students will have the opportunity to engage with technology, connect with local and global firms, and/or develop the skills necessary to transition into the Canadian or international labour market. The partnerships involve postsecondary institutions such as Capilano University, Centennial College, Dalhousie University, George Brown College, Nova Scotia Community College, the University of the Fraser Valley, the University of Ottawa, the University of Waterloo, and York University.

St Francis Xavier University will be the host of a $5M Research Chair in Mental Health and Addictions. The research chair will draw on NS Health data and leverage partnerships to study the investigation and treatment of mental health and addictions. The chair’s research will inform best practices and policies for communities across Canada. It is supported by a $5M endowment created by the university, the Government of Nova Scotia, QEII Foundation, and Medavie Foundation. “This partnership and this endowed chair position is a unique way to accelerate impact and ensure Nova Scotians are getting the care they need,” said QEII Foundation President Susan Mullin.

Conestoga College recently received approval from the Government of Ontario to launch a stand-alone four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Honours) degree program. The program will emphasize the scientific basis of nursing practice and prepare students for the workplace through hands-on clinical learning opportunities. Registered practical nurses and those who have completed university studies will be able to enter the program with advanced standing; part-time options are also available. “There is a critical demand for healthcare workers and developing a local workforce that can respond to the unique needs of our region and beyond is vital to ensuring the well-being of our community now and in the future,” said Conestoga President John Tibbits. The program will welcome its first cohort in September 2024.

The Université du Québec en Outaouais and its partners – the Maison de la Culture, the Gatineau Music Conservatory, the UQO Gallery, the Outaouais Book Fair and the Maison des arts littéraires – have launched the Cultural Passeurs program for education students. The UQO education students who participate in the Cultural Passeurs program will receive access to free and low-cost cultural activities that will teach them how to become ambassadors of art and culture. QC Ministre de la Culture et des Communications Mathieu Lacombe and UQO rector Murielle Laberge both commented that, by integrating arts and culture into their university education, this program would help future teachers learn to share and cultivate a curiousity for art and culture with their students.

Trinity Western University and Kurumbuka Leadership Solutions, which provides educational training to leaders in several African countries, have partnered to create a new pathway to TWU’s MA in Leadership program. Under the agreement, students who complete Kurumbuka’s leadership programs will be eligible to transfer credits to TWU. “The future of our societies rests on leadership,” said TWU VP of Innovation, Global, and Partnerships Dr Phil Laird. “From the boardroom to the classroom, investing in the next generation of leaders is perhaps the greatest investment we can make.”

The University of Manitoba Asper School of Business is now accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the world’s largest professional accountancy body. “We strive to serve our diverse student population by offering more high-level career pathways and opportunities,” said UManitoba Professor Steven Zheng, who added that the accreditation offers opportunities to international students looking to return home to work as well as Canadian students looking to work abroad. UManitoba states that it is the first university in Western Canada to receive this accreditation.

York University and Southlake Regional Health Centre have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to drive positive change in health care across the northern York Region and southern Simcoe County. The collaboration will leverage the partners’ expertise and address pressing challenges in health care issues that span from infant, child, and adolescent health to healthy aging and seniors’ care. “Collaboration between universities and health-care organizations is more critical than ever to feed the talent pipeline including the on-going needs for lifelong learning, facilitate groundbreaking research and innovation, and provide the best possible health care for our population,” stated YorkU President Rhonda Lenton.

At Thompson Rivers University, alumni Mark and Sally Nairn have kickstarted a campaign to establish a $1M endowment for students in Williams Lake. The Williams Lake Endowed Fund will ensure that student supports, such as scholarships, awards, and bursaries, receive long-term financial sustainability. “There are a lot of very good students in this town who have great capabilities and are smart people — they just don’t have the finances to go to university and it’s a real shame,” said Mark Nairn. “The reason we picked $1 million as our goal is that it should generate about $40,000 a year that will be used for bursaries to support students in need coming to our campus.”

HEC Montréal’s designation as an Ashoka U Changemaker Campus has been renewed for another four years. HEC explains that institutions are evaluated in four categories—visionary leadership, innovation and excellence with regard to change, institutional culture and operations, and institutional contribution and influence—to determine their eligibility for the designation. HEC Director Federico Pasin stated that HEC’s ambition is to “establish itself as a hub for research, teaching and knowledge transfer in sustainable development, corporate social responsibility and ethics.”