January 29, 2024

Several members of the broader eastern Canada postsecondary sector are expressly concerned about the impact of the new federal student visa cap. All three maritime governments noted that they are awaiting further details, reports CTV News, and the Government of New Brunswick’s advanced education department has outright stated that it is “not in favour of this move.” Saint Mary’s University President Robert Summerby-Murray expressed concern about “the collateral damage […] from policies that are designed to deal with bad actors in the system.” Cape Breton University Students’ Union President Sahilpreet Singh Chatha said that the new policy “is going to shatter a lot of dreams for students […] back home,” and expressed frustration to the Saltwire about the constantly changing rules for international students. Journal de Montréal stated that the impact of the measure will be “limited” in Québec, which welcomes a smaller proportion of international students.

The Fédération des cégeps is demanding that the Government of Québec allot $150M to student residences and housing in its next provincial budget. Fédération CEO Bernard Tremblay asserted that the accessibility of higher education is at stake and that the cégeps are risking issues with student dropouts. $100M would be devoted to the construction and renovation of student residences, while $50M would support the development of a set of innovative projects to help address short-term needs. The Fédération étudiante collégiale voiced its support of the Fédération des cégeps’ calls for action.

Bombardier has announced that the University of Victoria will be the first academic partner in the Pan-Canadian EcoJet Research Project. The collaboration between Bombardier, UVic’s Centre for Aerospace Research, and British Columbia’s SME Quaternion Aerospace will support the manufacturer’s eco-jet technology, which is intended to contribute to a more sustainable global aviation industry. UVic students and researchers will gain hands-on, real-world skills as they contribute to the project. “This collaboration marks a significant step forward in our commitment to sustainability, a greener future for the aviation industry, and the development of cutting-edge technologies that advance the frontiers of science and engineering right here in British Columbia and throughout Canada,” said UVic President Dr Kevin Hall.

Rather than using a traditional syllabus model, Steven M Baule (Winona State University) encourages instructors to create a “liquid syllabus” for their class. The goal of a liquid syllabus, Baule writes, is to provide “an open, equitable, and humanizing introduction to the course” and foster trust between students and the instructor. This syllabus should include the fundamental information included in a traditional syllabus, as well as non-traditional elements such as a welcoming video from the instructor, links to various institutional supports, and interactive features like an open comment widget or discussion forum. Baule encourages designers to ensure the liquid syllabus is accessible on mobile devices. Baule concludes by sharing links to examples of liquid syllabi from different US universities.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has created Education Accord NL, which will deliver a 10-year Education Accord to improve outcomes for learners. Education Accord NL will focus on four pillars: Early learning and childhood development, education engagement and transformation, health and well-being in education environments, and postsecondary education and learning across the life span. Two Memorial University faculty members—Dr Anne Burke and Dr Karen Goodnough—will co-chair Education Accord NL. NL states that the 10-year accord will be delivered to NL on New Year’s Eve 2024.

Cape Breton University will receive $3.5M from the Government of Canada to equip the new Centre for Discovery and Innovation (CDI). The funds—which come from the Canada Coal Transition Initiative – Infrastructure Fund—will ensure CDI’s research and teaching facilities have the equipment they need to provide an enhanced learning experience and encourage students to take part in technology-based research. “This investment will support state-of-the-art equipment that will contribute to CBU’s next generation of science students, faculty and researchers,” said CBU President David C Dingwall.

Lakeland College human services graduates can more easily pursue a Bachelor of Education degree in elementary teacher education at the University of Regina, thanks to new pathways created by two new Transfer Credit Agreements. The agreements enable eligible graduates with an early childhood education certificate or diploma or an educational assistant certificate to apply for a block transfer to URegina’s BEd program. Those with a certificate will receive 15 credit hours, while those with a diploma will receive 30. “These transfer credit agreements will provide a valuable mechanism for Lakeland College graduates to leverage their certificate or diploma towards the completion of a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Regina,” said URegina Dean of the Faculty of Education Dr James Nahachewsky.

The Government of Ontario has announced a suite of measures to improve the integrity of the ON postsecondary sector. Colleges and universities in the province will be required to have housing available for all incoming international students. The province will be reviewing postsecondary programs with a “sizeable amount of international students,” as well as taking action to ensure that the programs offered are meeting the needs of the labour market. ON announced that a moratorium has also been placed on new public college-private partnerships and indicated that it will better integrate efforts across its ministries to strengthen oversight of career colleges.

Aurora College temporarily closed its Yellowknife campus and moved its student services to another location amid heating complaints. “The building is ice cold,” an anonymous commenter told Cabin Radio, adding there were also glycol leaks. “It’s not going to be a quick fix. They’re probably going to have to replace the boilers entirely.” Cabin Radio reports that there were also heating issues earlier this month in the library and student residences, and that Aurora has had issues with glycol leaks and smells in the past.

Confederation College has partnered with the Regional Food Distribution Association (RFDA) to prepare food for community members who are experiencing food insecurity. Confederation Culinary Management students will gain hands-on experience as they learn how to prepare, cook, package, and freeze meals so they can be distributed. “The partnership with the RFDA provides our students with the opportunity to apply their culinary skills in a meaningful way,” said Ken Veneruz, Program Coordinator of Culinary Management at Confederation. “It provides a valuable learning experience for the students involved, and it benefits our community and the region.”