January 26, 2023

Kwantlen Polytechnic University has announced that its parchments will now be offered in both hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and English. KPU states that the inclusion of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language–the Indigenous language spoken by Kwantlen First Nation–is part of the university’s steps towards reconciliation. All 2022-23 graduates will receive the parchments, starting with Fall graduates attending convocation in February. “Through this initiative, we hope to honour the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language, support the work led by Indigenous language keepers to revitalize Indigenous languages, and send our graduates off in a good way,” said KPU AVP of Enrolment Services and Registrar Zena Mitchell.

Re$earch Infosource Inc has released its Top 50 Research Colleges 2022 rankings. The rankings assess colleges according to their research income in Fiscal 2021. Overall, the top five colleges and polytechnics were Cégep de Trois-Rivières, Niagara College, Lambton College, the British Columbia Institute of Technology, and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. In the Winners Circle, Red Deer Polytechnic, Lakeland College, Olds College of Agriculture & Technology, BCIT, and Lethbridge College were the top five colleges by research income growth, while the top five colleges by research intensity were Niagara, Camosun College, Trois-Rivières, Collège d’Alma, and Selkirk College.

The University of Alberta has expanded its presence in downtown Edmonton and has moved over 500 employees to the Enterprise Square location. The move is part of the university’s larger strategic initiative to ensure the most efficient use of campus spaces and buildings. The institution’s future plans for the Enterprise Square location include the growth and development of a technology and innovation hub with tenants. “[When the university bought the building the] vision was to create a Downtown hub of education, innovation and excellence that would strengthen the partnerships between the university, the city and local businesses,” said UAlberta President Bill Flanagan. “It took a while to bring this vision to life, but I think today we really have achieved that.”

UBI Global has released the results of its World Top University Business Incubator 2021-2022 Rankings, and several Canadian postsecondary institutions have appeared among the leaders. The ranking assesses the performance of incubators on their economic impact, the scope of their network and service offering, and the attractiveness and reach of their programs. McGill University’s Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship and the University of Toronto Entrepreneurship appeared in the World Top 5, while École de technologie supérieure’s Centech was ranked among the Top 10.

The University of British Columbia will be raising its residence rent by up to 8% in May. CBC reports that rent caps do not apply to student residences as they are not covered by British Columbia’s Residential Tenancy Act. The rates at UBC residences are set to rise from 3.5% to 8% depending on the type of housing, its condition, and its age. Some UBC students have expressed concern about the rent hike and told City Newsthat the increase will force them to choose between studying and taking on more part-time work shifts and will limit their housing options. “We can try to live off-campus, but it’s not much more affordable than this,” said UBC student Emily Kehler.

A recent article from the University of Waterloo discusses how university culture can contribute to the student mental health crisis. St Jerome’s University Professor Dr Maureen Drysdale discusses how “toxic positivity” can place pressure on students to put on an act even though they are struggling, and shares how hustle culture can push students to compete and work against each other rather than fostering a community. Drysdale explains that academic culture must shift to ensure that students can show their true selves, and that the importance of peer support and a sense of belonging is fundamental to this shift.

Cégep de Shawinigan and Western University have celebrated the results of major renovations to facilities on campus. Shawinigan celebrated the opening of its new pool after a $6M, 18-month renovation. The work included a complete renovation of the indoor pool, the stands, the changing rooms, and other spaces, as well as the purchase of a hoist to allow users with reduced mobility to access to the pool. Meanwhile, Western’s Weldon Library has undergone a $15M renovation that has revitalized the space with a two-storey student learning commons, increased seating, and a family room where graduate students with children can study or review items from the library.

A partnership between Concordia University and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel has received a $1M donation from Miriam Roland. The gift will be shared equally by the institutions and will support jointly-led sustainability pilot projects on a range of issues related to urban sustainability, zero-carbon buildings, the water-energy-food nexus, and more. The universities will also work toward sustainable approaches to urban development by participating in workshops and knowledge exchanges as well as “living-lab” experimentations and collaborations with neighbourhoods.

Champlain College Saint-Lambert, Trent University, and the University of Manitoba have each announced revisions and expansions to their programs. Champlain has revised its Social Science Program for Fall 2023 to enable students to develop well-rounded general knowledge and transferable skills. The ministry-mandated revision ensures that the program is responsive to a social science approach. Trent University has expanded its Master of Management Degree, which will now be offered at its Peterborough campus. The University of Manitoba has revised the curriculum for its Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program to offer additional choices of electives, introduce sixteen new core courses, and more. UManitoba states that the changes will help the program to align with the direction of change in the Canadian Association of Social Work Education core learning objectives.

A new US report suggests that trauma and social anxiety are increasing concerns for postsecondary students, writes Kate Marijolovic for The Chronicle of Higher Ed. The study examined the connection between mental health and academic success and found that students with some mental health risk factors were more likely to drop out than their peers. Those who stayed enrolled had improved mental health. Marijolovic explains that the report found that reports and assessments of trauma increased over the past 10 years, while the number of students experiencing social anxiety saw a significant increase from 2021 to 2022. The study also explored the factors associated with students who were at higher risk of dropping out.