June 10, 2025

Postsecondary institutions across Canada are rethinking how they assess students amid rising concerns about generative AI and academic integrity, reports CBC. Approaches vary significantly across and within institutions. Some faculty members are reverting to handwritten or oral exams to circumvent the possibility of AI use, for example, while others are experimenting with ways to incorporate AI into coursework and encourage student reflection on its use. These developments signal a broader need for institutions to overhaul assessment strategies in light of AI, says University of British Columbia Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology Academic Director Christina Hendricks: “What do students need to know in their future lives’ and how do we adjust our assessments to match that?”

The University of Saskatchewan Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science and Justice Studies has received a combined $3M through partnerships with Correctional Service Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan. The funds will be used to continue key research projects and grow the centre’s training efforts. “The important interdisciplinary research conducted through the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science and Justice Studies is an example of how collaboration between researchers can help shape policies and provide tangible solutions to communities,” said USask VP of Research Dr Baljit Singh.

McGill University and Kativik Ilisarniliriniq are launching the first full-time university program to be delivered in Nunavik, reports CBC. Starting September in Kuujjuaq, the two-year, 60-credit Certificate in Education for First Nations and Inuit will prepare Nunavimmiut to become teachers with the skills they need to teach in Inuktitut and teach the language as a subject. The program aims to address chronic teacher shortages and enables students to pursue a McGill education without leaving the region. Graduates will be eligible for a Nunavik teaching licence and may continue toward a BEd through McGill.

A new study led by Western University Law Professor Thomas Telfer has found that embedding mindfulness training into legal education offers mental health benefits and a new perspective for law students. Telfer launched a for-credit course Mindfulness and the Legal Profession in 2019. A study of students’ final journal submissions highlights how structured practices like daily meditation, peer dialogue, and reflective journaling supported student well-being while building professional competencies such as focus, emotional regulation, and communication. Students also reported rethinking the kind of lawyers they want to become. “I think integrating mindfulness into my career will mean focusing on an empathetic and collaborative approach to law,” one student wrote.

Thompson Rivers University has established a new relationship with Universiti Poly-Tech Malaysia that is focused on access to higher education. The university visited four Malaysian universities before joining the Government of British Columbia’s trade mission, which is focused on deepening connections in the Indo-Pacific. “As economies and institutions in countries like Malaysia grow stronger, opportunities for international collaboration grow as well,” said TRU Associate Vice-President International Baihua Chadwick. “We are developing new partnerships that I am confident will result in increased streams of Malaysian and international students from Southeast Asia coming to TRU in the future.”

The University of Prince Edward Island recently installed 18 new automated external defibrillators (AEDs) across campus, ensuring that all buildings have at least one AED in them. AEDs can be used by anyone to treat sudden cardiac arrest, explains UPEI. The university has also secured two mobile AED units for rapid response, which are kept near Alumni Canada Games Place and the Artificial Turf Field due to the level of physical activity at these locations. “By equipping all buildings with these devices […] UPEI is helping to empower the campus community to take swift action when it matters most,” said UPEI Health, Safety, and Environment Manager Liz Rostant MacArthur.

In a recent interview with the Illumination podcast, Evan Cortens (Mount Royal University) discusses the value of a university’s continuing education unit. Cortens emphasizes the fact that continuing education thrives on responsiveness: Factors such as local community needs, a lack of base funding, and the circumstances of learners ultimately define a continuing education department’s offerings. He further notes how the department facilitates access to higher education and training for more members of the community. “I think in general, it makes little sense to task a university unit solely with that goal of profit generation if it comes at the expense of serving the needs of the community,” says Cortens. “I flip that equation around: Serve our community first, while meeting a sensible financial mandate.”

Myriam Vidal Valero of Nature shares how institutions can use simulated lab accidents to provide a more meaningful lab safety learning experience for students. Valero highlights the frequency of laboratory incidents around the world and the issues-such as incorrect storage of equipment or a lack of training-that contribute to these incidents. At Colorado State University, for example, laboratory coordinators have started controlled fires, acted out injuries, and created mock chemical leaks that students needed to respond to in real time. After each scenario, staff held a debriefing to discuss the students’ responses. “How many more training modules can a grad student or an undergrad take where they’re just clicking through a PowerPoint presentation?” asked CSU Lab Coordinator Ben Reynolds.

Wilfrid Laurier University and the Indigenous-owned facility RedDoor Collective have agreed to explore the creation of a Global Indigenous Innovation Centre and Immersive Shared Reality Cinemas in Brantford. By bringing together WLU’s Brantford campus infrastructure and RedDoor’s expertise in areas such as Indigenous media production, the partners hope to build an ecosystem where Indigenous knowledge, creativity, and entrepreneurship can thrive. The partners will also explore the promotion of Indigenous-led cultural and creative programming, as well as the facilitation of experiential learning and research opportunities for students.

European universities are responding to widening gaps in how students and faculty engage with generative AI, reports Dorothy Lepkowska of University World News. Some students avoid using the technology due to unclear rules or fear of penalties, while others are highly fluent–creating disparities in learning environments. Faculty responses also vary, from banning AI to requiring its use. In response, several institutions are introducing principle-based frameworks, investing in AI literacy, and embedding guidance into broader teaching and learning strategies. Zurich University of the Arts (Switzerland) Professor Susanne Schumacher emphasized the need for critical reflection: “We need to keep asking, why are we using AI and how can it help us think and act better?”