January 9, 2025

A potential strike affecting Ontario college faculty has been averted after the College Employer Council (CEC) and Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) signed a Memorandum of Agreement and agreed to enter into binding arbitration to settle outstanding items. OPSEU explained that Arbitrator William Kaplan will further mediate and then rule on a new contract for college faculty. Classes will continue to run this week with no strike action occurring. “It was important to us to provide stability to students at the start of their semester,” said CEC Management Bargaining Team Chair Dr Laurie Rancourt. “We are encouraged that OPSEU has prioritized students by agreeing to binding arbitration.”

Memorial University is celebrating its 100-year anniversary. The institution started as Memorial University College in 1925 with 57 students and has since grown to host nearly 18,000 students. Memorial says that the anniversary theme “Looking Back, Launching Forth” was inspired by the university’s motto: “Launch forth into the deep.” The theme recognizes past sacrifices as well as tomorrow’s promises. The institution will be engaging in a variety of events and initiatives over the coming year to celebrate the anniversary. In a recent Q&A, Memorial Professor Dr Donna Hardy Cox shared that she is currently working on a “100 years of student life” project, which visually honours the university’s student life over the past century.

Indigenous students can be empowered to achieve success through a strengthened “circle of support,” write Amanda Street (Nicola Valley Institute of Technology) and Tessa Quewezance. Street and Quewezance write that Indigenous learners face unique barriers that can be addressed by a “circle of support.” This circle—comprised of individuals such as Elders, family members, friends, colleagues, or past educators—is key to offering individualized community-based assessments so that students can begin the journey to further learning. The authors argue that postsecondary institutions need to strengthen this circle by flexibly meeting learners where they are at, such as by bringing programming into remote communities. “We challenge other post-secondary institutions to look beyond on-campus learner support and engagement and to collaborate with Indigenous communities and their supporters to offer more holistic opportunities for Indigenous learners,” write the authors.

Brock University and Camosun College are supporting their community members with sustainability-focused initiatives. Brock’s Market Eatery introduced an EcoStation where diners can dispose of organics, recyclables, and garbage. The station includes a sink with a dedicated cup-washing station to encourage diners to bring their own reusable containers and cups. Camosun is encouraging students to take home a Climate Action To-Go Kit, which includes tools such as a thermal leak detector, kilowatt meter, and bike tire gauge. The kit also includes informational resources such as recycling tips, a native planting guide, and an updated bike trail map.

Trent University and the Buddhist College of Canada have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote opportunities for cultural exchange. Through this partnership, eligible Trent students can participate in experiential learning opportunities at the college’s Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden in Cavan-Monaghan, Ontario. Trent and the college will also collaborate on the joint delivery of academic courses and the facilitation of cultural exchange opportunities so that students can engage in traditional Chinese practices, such as tea ceremonies and meditation. “We look forward to a range of academic, research, and experiential learning opportunities with the Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden going forward,” said Trent President Dr Cathy Bruce.

Police have resolved an incident in New Westminster that led to the evacuation of Douglas College’s campus and other downtown areas. On Tuesday morning, New Westminster Police Department said that a threat was made against the courthouse; police subsequently urged those in the vicinity–including Douglas students–to leave immediately. The Canadian Press reports that Douglas cancelled all in-person classes while the incident was underway. Police have since cleared up the issue and Douglas has resumed on-campus activities. Police did not specify the type of threat or its origins.

Ontario Student Voices (OSV)–an organization representing college students across Ontario–is urging the Government of Ontario and Government of Canada to create a more sustainable postsecondary funding system. Speaking to Niagara-on-the-Lake Local, OSV Executive Director Lynn Courville said that students are suffering due to recent policy changes, citing insufficient provincial funding and ongoing federal amendments to the international student program. To address these issues, OSV is calling on ON to increase grants by 10% and tie this funding to the consumer price index. “We know that that’s not going to be enough now, given these (federal changes), but it’s a step in the right direction,” said Courville.

The Government of Alberta is investing an additional $450K into the Northern Alberta Development Bursary program, bringing the total funding increase since the 2023-24 school year up by $1.1M. The program provides students with funding for learning opportunities in northern Alberta with the aim of boosting the region’s workforce and investing in provincial talent. The increase will enable an additional 50 students to receive financial support for their postsecondary education. “This important investment will empower more students in northern Alberta to pursue one of the many post-secondary education opportunities our province has to offer while helping meet northern Alberta’s current and future workforce needs,” said AB Minister of Advanced Education Rajan Sawhney.

In a recent article in The PIE, journalist Abhishek Nair details the top postsecondary study destinations outside of Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US that have recently risen in popularity. While over half of the world’s international students study in one of these “big four” countries, according to Nair, international students are increasingly pursuing alternative destinations. These include France, which had over 430,000 international students in the 2023/24 academic year; Germany, which expected over 400,000 international students in the 2024/25 winter semester; and Turkey, which had over 300,000 international students enrolled in the 2022/23 academic year. Other top destinations highlighted in the article include South Korea, Japan, China, New Zealand, Malaysia, Ireland, and Italy.

The CAN Health Network has partnered with Lumeto on healthcare delivery and workforce training using AI-powered virtual reality. As part of the collaboration, Lumeto will be partnering with the Michener Institute of Education at the University Health Network to explore how Lumeto’s AI-powered technology impacts respiratory therapist training. “This partnership represents a significant step forward in modernizing workforce education and advancing Canada’s health care system through innovation and emerging technologies,” stated Michener.