February 5, 2024

The Government of Nova Scotia has signed new, one-year funding agreements with the province’s 10 universities. “These agreements take a student-centred approach and recognize the unique differences of each university,” said NS Minister of Advanced Education Brian Wong. We have built in several accountability measures tied to student housing, healthcare training and planning for a more sustainable and successful future.” The agreements include changes to tuition, tuition caps, and annual operating grants. Institutions will also be required to fill health program seats to at least 97%, develop international student sustainability plans, and take steps to increase student housing. The universities have been tasked with working together to reduce administrative expenses by at least 5%. Longer-term agreements will be finalized in the coming year.

The Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC Local 14, which represents faculty at Langara College, is reportedly filing a grievance over the termination of Natalie Knight. FPSE Executive Director Michael Conlon explained that “every legal opinion we’ve gotten, including the (findings of the investigation) from Langara, suggests that she did not engage in hate speech.” FPSE has also called for Government of British Columbia Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills Selina Robinson to step down. FPSE alleges that Robinson applied pressure on Langara to discipline Knight by making a social media statement about the incident. The ministry has called the allegations false and indicated that “Langara College made the decision independently.”

In a recent article for Inside Higher Ed, Jamie Paris (University of Manitoba) discusses the unique ways that international students may be impacted by AI and AI-detection programs. Paris writes that instructors are not trained to police AI-based academic misconduct, and that the amount and type of AI use that constitutes cheating changes constantly and differs between schools, classes, and departments. Paris notes that this presents a particular challenge for international students who are not native English speakers, who are also targeted by AI-detection programs that predict plagiarism by evaluating the complexity of the language in a document. The author urges instructors to be mindful of the role racism can play in academic misconduct investigations.

Elevate IP Alberta has received $9.9M from the federal government. The program is the Albertan iteration of the federal intellectual property program, according to Betakit, delivered by the University of Calgary in partnership with Innovate Calgary and Economic Development Lethbridge. Elevate IP Alberta supports business accelerators and incubators that work with Canadian startups looking to understand, manage, and leverage their intellectual property (IP). The goal of the program is to provide comprehensive IP support to over 2,500 startups across the province. “The impact of research lies in translating discoveries into tangible societal advantages,” said UCalgary VP Research William Ghali. “The ElevateIP initiative enriches the already robust and extensive support system for students and faculty with an entrepreneurial drive.”

The New Democratic Party of Ontario has criticized to the Government of Ontario’s announcement last summer that it would not provide funding to the Université de Sudbury. CBC reports that ON previously refused to fund Université de Sudbury because it did not “reflect the current demand and enrolment trends,” a conclusion it attributed to a variety of factors and a PEQAB review. However, the ON NDP states that the report—which was recently made public—shows that the panel recommended that the government move forward with the project. The project was also approved by ON’s Ministry of Colleges and Universities. “The government is playing political games with this issue,” said Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles, who called for ON’s Minister of Education and the Minister of Francophone Affairs to share details with Franco-Ontarians.

Mount Royal University has launched the Centre for Health and Innovation in Aging. The centre will bring aging adults, faculty, students, innovators, care providers, and industry partners together to focus on solving aging-related challenges. The centre will use innovation, research, education, and community engagement to inform approaches to healthcare delivery and ensure that aging adults can experience later life as a period of vitality. Students will have the opportunity to experience new career paths through the centre, while researchers will be able to study healthy aging and connect with members of the industry and community. “By offering an interdisciplinary platform for research collaboration, education, and community outreach focused on aging and health innovation, we hope the centre will become a catalyst for holistic understanding and transformative solutions,” said MRU Associate Professor Jocelyn Rempel.

After the recent Government of Canada policy changes, several Indian students are reevaluating their options for postsecondary education. Shuriah Niazi for University World Newswrites that the “general perception” is that the study cap will have a limited effect on Indian students pursuing master’s and PhD courses. However, some contacts interviewed by Niazi noted that those interested in pursuing diplomas or degrees would be more heavily affected by the new policies. Potential student Aditya Rajoria noted that students from middle-class families in India will not be able to meet the new cost of living requirement. While Canada is their first choice, Rajoria commented that financial concerns will drive many students to look elsewhere for their postsecondary education. Niazi concludes by discussing the increased restrictions implemented by other countries and how these may impact international student choices.

The Government of Ontario has announced new investments to extend the Preceptor Resource and Education Program for Long-Term Care (PREP LTC) program and expand the Living Classrooms programs in order to meet long-term care staffing needs. The PREP LTC program, which will receive $94.5M over three years, helps long-term care homes provide clinical placements to nursing and PSW students. The Living Classrooms program, which will receive $11M over three years, ensures PSW students can receive on-site training in local long-term care homes.

Several students at Concordia University and McGill University recently went onto strike against the Government of Quebec’s tuition hikes for out-of-province students. Students stepped out of their classes from Wednesday to Friday last week to call on the government to reverse the tuition hikes. “By striking, we’re hoping to create a big disruption to the system and show the lengths we’re willing to go to, for the betterment of future generations of students,” said Arts and Science Federation of Associations mobilization co-ordinator Lily Charette.

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit will no longer be relocating to the University of Windsor, due to inflation and budget constraints. The health unit and university signed an agreement in 2022 that would see WECHU move into UWindsor’s Residence Hall West by 2024-2025, where it would lease the property for a 25-year term. WECHU CEO Blanchette explained that the health unit is facing a “challenging fiscal situation” at this time and expressed optimism for the health unit’s relationship with the university. “Public health is not only a focus and priority for the University but also a critical regional need,” said UWindsor VP of Research and Innovation Dr Shanthi Johnson. “Despite WECHU’s decision, we are eager to continue to support our community and serve this vital sector.”