February 29, 2024

Government of Canada Minister of Immigration Marc Miller has stated that the federal government is ready to step in and shut down postsecondary schools that abuse the international student program should provincial governments not take adequate action. “The recognized institution model that we launched in the fall still is very pertinent to this discussion, because we will be able to separate the wheat from the chaff,” he said. “And perhaps even — if provinces don’t assume their responsibility — shut down institutions ourselves if they don’t do a good enough job.” The National Post reports that Miller has also reacted to recent comments from Government of Ontario College and Universities Minister Jill Dunlop, refuting any implications that provinces were not given ample notice about the international student limits.

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research and its partners are investing $28.4M to support 43 underrepresented early career health researchers. The Research Excellence, Diversity and Independent Early Career Transition Award aims to support the work of Black people and racialized women as they transition into independent academic research positions. Recipients of this year’s award focus on a number of topics in health, including infectious and chronic disease, brain and mental health, and aging. Several of the researchers work at Canadian postsecondary institutions, with multiple awardees hosted at McGill University, McMaster University, University of British Columbia, University of Calgary, University of Manitoba, University of Toronto, and York University.

Champlain College Saint-Lambert instructor Stéphane Paquet has produced a publicly-available toolkit that guides instructors on the use of ChatGPT. Paquet’s toolkit is focused on helping instructors develop a practical understanding of ChatGPT so that they feel empowered while using the application. The toolkit focuses on helping instructors explore ChatGPT’s capabilities and limitations and develop an understanding of prompts. “As we progress, the goal remains to build a solid foundation for teachers to navigate the evolving landscape of AI technologies in education with confidence and efficacy,” writes Paquet.

Dalhousie University has completed the first phase of its web renewal project with the launch of a new homepage and About section on its website. The renewal project will rebuild the website from the ground up, implementing new website infrastructure powered by Adobe Experience Manager Touch UI and updating the site’s design and content to offer an enhanced, streamlined experience. “It’s the digital equivalent of deconstructing all the buildings on campus and then rebuilding them brick by brick — just done digitally,” said Dal’s Assistant VP of Communications, Marketing & Creative Services Matt Proctor, “With nearly 100,000 pages on our site, it’s been a massive effort, but the outcomes of improved user experience and accessibility will benefit our entire community for some time to come.”

The University of Guelph’s She’s Got Game initiative has reached its $2.5M fundraising goal. Launched in 2018, the initiative set out to ensure women have equal access to athletic scholarships, development opportunities, and recognition. So far, the funds have supported 550 student-athletes with She’s Got Game scholarships. “[We] use this fundraising milestone as a landmark to celebrate how far we have come and the changes we have implemented, while understanding there is still more work to be done,” said UoGuelph Director of Athletics Scott McRoberts. Beyond fundraising, the UoGuelph Athletics Department has also instituted policy changes around equal pay, raised awareness, and organized events and programs with the surrounding community.

In a recent article for CBC Investigates, reporters Valerie Ouellet and Mike Crawley shed light on the international student spike. Ouellet and Crawley share IRCC data obtained through a freedom of information request that demonstrates which colleges and universities in Canada received the most study permit application approvals in 2023 and experienced the largest share of international student growth. Of the 30 institutions that granted the most study permits in 2023, all but one are public institutions, according to CBC. CBC also reports that ten Ontario public colleges account for almost 30% of all study permits applications approved in Canada in 2023.

The Université du Québec à Rimouski, Northlands College, and the University of Calgary have made infrastructure announcements. UQAR has acquired multiple buildings from the Ursuline religious congregation that border the Rimouski campus. The buildings will be renovated and redeveloped to serve a variety of purposes, including student housing and dedicated spaces for the nursing, psychology, psychosociology and social work programs. Northlands has inaugurated its Dental Therapy Lab, which will provide learners with a space where they can engage in hands-on learning to prepare for careers in dental therapy. UCalgary celebrated the grand opening of the UCalgary Recovery Community Hub, which is a recovery-friendly space on campus that hosts support such as substance-free events and peer-support meetings.

Carleton University and the Université de Moncton have both announced new research and partnerships pertaining to AI and health. Carleton’s Faculty of Engineering and Design has partnered with the biotechnology company CardiAI to enhance medical diagnostics through the implementation of biosensor technology. The two are collaborating to explore the technology’s applications to a wide range of health conditions. UMoncton has received a $1M donation from Technology Venture Corporation and the Association Excellence NB to advance research in AI and health. The funding will be used to create a research chair focused on AI in healthcare and establish a research fund that will finance health sector projects that use AI technologies.

Two graduate-level short programs will launch at Québec postsecondary schools this Fall. The École nationale d’administration publique (ÉNAP) and the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) are partnering to offer a graduate microprogram in impact assessment and sustainable development. This remote, part-time program will equip professionals in the public administration and scientific sectors with knowledge about socio-environmental issues. The Université du Québec à Montréal will host a short graduate program in history for professionals working in cégeps, secondary schools, museums, and other history-related work environments. The program will help professionals to develop and update historical knowledge and methodological reflection skills.

The University of Niagara Falls Canada has announced that its Master of Management (MM) and Honours Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) programs have been accredited by the National Committee for Management Accreditation. Students enrolled in these programs will now have access to a free associate membership with CIM | Chartered Managers Canada. This will include association benefits such as access to member networking and events, as well as management and leadership resources. MM and BBA program graduates will be eligible to take part in the online Management Aptitude Evaluation (MAE) to attain their CIM designation.