July 28, 2025

The Government of Manitoba has announced changes to Manitoba Student Aid with the intent of making postsecondary education more accessible and affordable. Previously, students could not qualify for a federal grant without taking a loan; under this new system, students will be able to apply for federal grants without applying for loans. “To be considered for federal grants, students had to choose between applying for student loans or not applying at all,” said MB Advanced Education and Training Minister Renée Cable. MB has also issued a notice to student loan borrowers who were affected by wildfires to explain how to have their application for repayment assistance fast-tracked. 

Acadia Divinity College at Acadia University recently conducted an experiment where it used an AI-generated avatar—in the image of Acadia Divinity College President Anna Robbins—to deliver a course to a group of graduate student volunteers. The AI avatar generated the course syllabus, scripted and delivered lectures, and graded assignments on the “especially germane topic” of ethics in AI in Christian ministry. The students—who participated as volunteers and did not pay to take part in the course—gave mixed reviews: They liked the near-instantaneous feedback, but said they felt “duped” and that they preferred getting a real professor’s feedback over a machine’s. CBC highlights other ways that AI is being used at the college, as well as its usage in religion around the world. 

The University of Niagara Falls Canada has opened a new student residence. The building includes a range of suite options that are fully furnished and include kitchenettes and private bathrooms. Residents will benefit from communal lounge and study areas; on-call support and security; and on-site programming and leadership opportunities. “This residence not only increases our housing capacity, but it also gives students more choice in how and where they live,” said UNFC Manager, Student Life Jenna Freeland. “Whether students are looking for a quieter single suite or need space for a family member, there’s now a flexible option available to them right near campus.” 

At the University of Calgary, Instructor Kris Hans is teaching students how to use AI in the classroom, but the tools are reportedly not working as well as they used to. “I see it every week in the classroom: students wrestle with so‑called upgraded assistants that demand more hand‑holding than their simpler predecessors,” explained Hans. He attributed this phenomenon to the push from investors for companies to integrate AI as quickly as possible, which results in customers acting as beta testers. Several students emphasized the importance of understanding AI tools in their comments to Postmedia, including knowing how the tools can best be used and how they may be abused. “To [uninformed consumers,] it’s very much intelligent, it’s able to think; but for us, we know that it’s just algorithms,” explained UCalgary Student Huzaifa Shafiq.  

Queen’s University Smith School of Business and the Lagos Business School in Nigeria have established a dual-degree pathway. This pathway will enable students to earn both a professional master’s degree from Queen’s Smith School and an MBA or EMBA from Lagos Business School. “Students pursuing this exciting pathway will gain practical expertise in dynamic and evolving sectors while enhancing Smith students’ understanding of global business challenges and opportunities with their insights into the African market,” explained Queen’s Smith School Interim Dean Lynnette Purda.

Memorial University has reduced its base expenditure by $20.85M to ensure the university’s long-term sustainability. As part of this reduction, 20 permanent and contractual positions have been made redundant, the operating budgets for the Harris Centre and Office of Public Engagement have been eliminated, and the writing centre’s services have been merged with other academic success services. “This is a tremendous loss, and on behalf of our community, I want to express gratitude for their contributions to Memorial,” said Memorial President Dr Jennifer Lokash. Lokash said that the incoming president will review the senior leadership structure in her first six months of tenure. 

Protesters gathered in downtown Montréal to call on the Government of Québec to repeal Bill 96, in light of the $30M fine levied against LaSalle College. The protesters told CTV News that they feel educational institutions are being unfairly targeted by the law. “There are so many Francophone students in LaSalle College that are going to be harmed too, if the school closes because of this $30M fine,” said one protester. In a statement, Government of Québec Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry asserted that “LaSalle is the only subsidized private college to continue defying the Charter of the French Language and failing to comply with it.” Déry refused further comment while the matter is before the Québec Superior Court.  

In a recent Nature article, Jingming Cai offers advice to junior academics looking to build their application-writing skills and find more success in pursuing fellowships and grants. Cai encourages graduate students to begin exploring fellowship and grant opportunities before they finish their PhD so that they can deliberately tailor their work, CV, and research identity to future opportunities. He asserts that early applications can serve as great learning opportunities and encourages applicants to request feedback and re-evaluate their failed submissions in order to better prepare for the next ones. Finally, Cai outlines the structure that he has developed for his applications and reminds academics to keep preparing for the next opportunity, even when they have received awards.

The University of Guelph has announced that it has become the first international campus to host SSP International’s Summer Science Program. Through this summer program, Grade 11 students will take part in an immersive STEM experience at UoGuelph in the bacterial genomics program. The inaugural cohort will spend time studying stress resistance in a bacterial strain at UoGuelph in lab facilities and through faculty guest lectures. “By using our lab space and working with our U of G staff, students and faculty, they’re getting a full picture of all U of G has to offer,” said UoGuelph Chair of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology Dr Cezar Khursigara. 

Québec City has reportedly revoked one of the tickets that it issued to a protester who attempted to set up an encampment on Université Laval’s campus in 2024. Last summer, a group of protesters gathered on campus for a pro-Palestinian protest. However, the city’s police department soon dismantled the protest and issued tickets to protesters under a bylaw that prohibits the construction of shelters or tents on municipal or ULaval property. The tickets were challenged by the Québec branch of the Ligue des droits et libertés, which told the Journal de Québec that the ticket constituted an obstruction of the right to demonstrate. Radio-Canada reports that one of the other tickets was paid by a protester.