June 13, 2025

Westcliff University—a private university with its main campus in California, US—has announced the creation of its first international campus in the Greater Toronto Area. According to Ed Tech Innovation Hub, the university will offer a Master in Information Systems Technology degree with an industry-designed curriculum featuring “agile, evolving coursework” that adapts to labour force demands and trends. The first cohort will begin this July. “Toronto is a recognized force in global technological innovation, and our institution is honored to support its impressive trajectory,” said Westcliff President Dr Anthony Lee. “Establishing a presence in Canada enables us to deepen multinational knowledge exchange while delivering the hands-on, job-oriented education that defines Westcliff.”

The Government of Manitoba has announced that it will be providing an additional $5M in operating funding to Research Manitoba, boosting the province’s total investment into its research ecosystem to $18.5M. The additional funding will go towards Research Manitoba’s base operating budget, investments in research chair positions, and the creation of an Intellectual Property (IP) Collective. “Investing in research is investing in the future of Manitoba,” said Research Manitoba CEO Jennifer Cleary. “This funding increase will help fuel the creativity and expertise of our research community, ensuring we continue to lead in discovery and innovation that benefits families, businesses, and communities across the province.”

Celeste Pedri-Spade (Ojibwe Anishinaabekwe, Nezaadiikaang member citizen, and Associate Provost of Indigenous Initiatives at McGill University) has written a reflection on the tensions, responsibilities, and lessons learned from implementing McGill’s Indigenous citizenship validation policy. Pedri-Spade shares how McGill followed a development process that sought to honour Indigenous self-determination while avoiding both exclusion and ambiguity. Validation is overseen by McGill’s Indigenous office, which accepts multiple forms of evidence, including community letters and affidavits. “This is about responsibility and accountability,” writes Pedri-Spade, underscoring the need for institutions to create space for courageous, sometimes uncomfortable conversations.

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) has established partnerships that will advance nuclear research and learning at Canadian postsecondary institutions. CNL, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, and the University Network of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering (UNENE) have partnered on the development of a Canadian Nuclear Learning Centre. As part of this effort, the partners will collaborate on several fronts, including expanding the university network’s programming, exploring the development of micro-credentials, and leveraging long-term partnerships for joint projects. Meanwhile, CNL and the University of Ottawa announced a partnership focused on low dose radiation exposure research. This partnership includes the creation of a new CNL satellite laboratory at UOttawa.

Two victims of university acceptance scams are speaking out about their experiences with an immigration scam where they travelled to Canada to attend university and discovered that they had not actually been accepted into their programs. Both individuals paid an immigration consultant who was not recognized by the Government of Quebec to submit their university applications to the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi. They received admission letters and documentation, which they discovered were fake after arriving in Canada. CBC reports that these victims are continuing to live in Canada and are trying to find a solution to their cases so that they can move forward. UQAC said that its registrar’s office identified 44 cases of fraudulent admission letters between June and December 2023.

University of Winnipeg Assistant Professor Michael Holden argues that Canadian higher education needs to take action to create and support scholarly communities. Holden notes that the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences has decided to move its 2026 Congress conference to a virtual format after the planned institutional host stepped down. Holden explains that large in-person scholarly gatherings—like Congress—create a unique space for scholars at all stages of their career to connect and network with one another. In a time when Canadian institutions and the humanities and social sciences fields are both under threat, Holden adds that breaking up the major conference into smaller gatherings “does nothing to strengthen Canadian research.” Holden concludes by emphasizing the importance of working together to create and support major scholarly communities.

Bishop’s University will be completing a residence extension at Paterson Hall to provide more housing options for students. This four-storey extension will include 63 beds in suite-style accommodations, a shared kitchen, a lounge, and study rooms. The project is funded by $6.3M from the Government of Québec Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur. “Significant on-campus housing opportunities are at the core of the unique educational experience Bishop’s provides to its students,” said Bishop’s Principal Sébastien Lebel-Grenier. “The Paterson Hall extension will provide students with modern, environmentally responsible and community-oriented accommodations while also helping to preserve the integrity of the local housing market.”

Holland College has partnered with the Forum for International Trade Training (FITT) to help Prince Edward Island’s businesses and entrepreneurs navigate international export development. As a FITTskills Delivery Partner, the college will offer courses that will count toward a FITT Certificate in International Trade or a FITT Diploma in International Trade. Learners who complete the diploma can also use it as a pathway to the Certified International Trade Professional designation. “Our partnership with FITT ensures that we’re providing Islanders with the necessary training to grow their businesses, expand into new markets, and ultimately support the growth of our Island economy,” said Holland College President Alexander (Sandy) MacDonald.

Though faculty gender parity has improved in Canadian universities, persistent structural inequities continue to hinder women’s academic careers—especially in STEM fields and for racialized faculty—posits Eya Benhassine (Université de Montréal). Benhassine draws on Statistics Canada data and her doctoral research to highlight how organizational cultures, academic labour divisions, and a “winner takes all” structure of research funding disadvantage female faculty members. She argues that robust EDI policies are essential to correcting these systemic barriers. “Promoting a fair academic environment is not a matter of preferential treatment, but of a rigorous approach to correcting the structural biases that still hinder the full recognition of women’s contributions to science and higher education,” concludes Benhassine.

Humber Polytechnic, CourseCompare, and Pomerleau have partnered to launch a micro-credential that will train project coordinators for the construction industry. The Project Coordinator for Construction micro-credential is a hybrid program that uses technical instruction and simulations. Students will develop their skills in areas such as scheduling for the trades, interpreting construction drawings, and navigating project lifecycles. “There’s a growing recognition that project coordinators are essential to scaling Canada’s construction capacity,” said CourseCompare CEO Robert Furtado. “We’re helping shift project coordination from an informal skill set to a professionalized standard.”