June 26, 2023

McKay Career Training filed for bankruptcy in April, and former students and instructors alike are facing challenges as the situation continues to be unresolved. Former first-year student Taylor Blight told Global News that students were notified of the institution’s bankruptcy and closure over speaker phone. Blight further noted that students were left with student debt and no credentials, as the Government of Saskatchewan was “only willing to pay back unearned tuition.” While the ministry said that it is trying to transfer students into similar programs at other institutions, transcripts pose a challenge as former McKay staff were reportedly locked out of McKay’s online accounts after the bankruptcy process began. Former director of McKay’s Mental Health and First Responder Program Rebecca Ehlert noted that the documents “would not be relevant” due to a curriculum shift that the ministry was reportedly not made aware of.

The University of Toronto and Sunnybrook Foundation have received a $12M gift from the Harquail family to secure and expand the Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. The Harquail Centre engages in clinical care, research, innovation, education, and advocacy related to neuromodulation treatment. U of T and Sunnybrook have committed a combined $4M in matching funds to the centre, with plans to raise an additional $8M. “With this gift from the Harquail family, we will see better outcomes with fewer complications related to some of the most pernicious brain disorders,” said U of T President Meric Gertler.

In order to increase the number of health-care professionals in Alberta, MacEwan University has announced a new avenue into the workforce for internationally educated nurses: A one-year Bridge to Canadian Nursing program. The certificate program is designed to help individuals with previous nursing education to meet the entry-level competencies in Alberta and Canada. Locally educated nurses looking to refresh or upgrade their skills are also able to take part. “The Bridge to Canadian Nursing program at MacEwan provides flexible options for those who wish to further solidify their knowledge and skills related to registered nursing practice in Canada,” said MacEwan Faculty of Nursing Dean Dr Christy Raymond. The program will launch in Fall 2023.

Loyalist College has shared the name of its re-envisioned Indigenous centre: Tsi Titewaya’taró:roks. In addition to the new name–which means “we gather as a community” in Mohawk—the center has launched a new logo. The logo consists of an outer circle depicting the Dish with One Spoon wampum agreement and an inner circle that is comprised of imagery that reflects different communities affiliated with the college. “Tsi Titewaya’taró:roks is a safe space for our Indigenous students and community members at Loyalist – a gathering place that feels like home,” said Loyalist Director of Indigenous Services Tewathahá:kwa Jennifer Maracle. “It is also a place of learning and celebration where our non-Indigenous staff and students can expand their cultural understanding.”

Bishop’s University has received an $5M donation from a group of anonymous donors to create the “Michael Goldbloom Excellence Scholarships.” A statement from the university explains that the scholarships will be awarded to first-year students of high academic achievement and character. The donation will double an existing scholarship fund and benefit ten undergraduate students each year. “It is a fitting recognition of Michael’s commitment to academic excellence and his distinguished service to Bishop’s over fifteen years,” said Bishop’s Chancellor Daniel Fournier.

The University of Regina and Saskatchewan Polytechnic have agreed to continue to jointly offer the Saskatchewan Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing (SCBScN) Program. The SCBScN program offers students the opportunity to train as nurses, with graduates being eligible for initial registration as RNs after passing the National Council Licensure Examination. “It gives me great satisfaction to sign this agreement with Saskatchewan Polytech knowing that it will enable us to continue offering the SCBScN program together, and most importantly, develop career-ready graduates able to take on these challenging but essential health care roles,” said URegina President Dr Jeff Keshen.

The Congregation of Notre-Dame (CND)–which owns and has overseen the Villa Maria estate on which Marianopolis College is located–will be selling the property as it has become “too cumbersome” for the nuns to maintain, reports CBC. The non-profit organization that manages Marianopolis College intends to purchase the building and land that the cégep has occupied since 2007 to ensure its continued operation. The purchase will happen over the next few months. CND will be looking for a buyer for the rest of the property with hopes that the area’s educational character will be preserved.

Following the approval of a requested variance for a former Days Inn, the University of Guelph has announced that it will have more residence options to offer students this Fall. The city’s approval means that UoGuelph will be able to use the Days Inn building as a temporary student residence for the next three years. UoGuelph will begin using the building as a student residence at the beginning of August, and the university’s Student Housing Services will provide residents with the same supports and services that are available at the university’s other residences. The building is anticipated to provide housing to up to 160 students and will enable the university to accommodate all students who applied for residence in the 2023-24 academic year.

Norwegian researchers Ida Bruheim Jensen (University of Stavanger) and Kenan Dikilitas (UStavanger) have published a review of the use of action research in humanities and social sciences classrooms. In the classroom, action research—a “practically oriented research approach” that overlaps with research-based teaching—positions students as “integral actors of the research processes.” Jensen and Dikilitas found that students were positioned as active co-researchers (16%); contributing learners (58%); or as a “source of information” (26%). Activities that consist of “genuine” teacher-student collaboration where students act as co-researchers had the greatest benefit. However, the authors note that the practice faces barriers to implementation such as a lack of time or resources, skepticism or resistance from institutional management, and student discomfort with or resistance to taking on a more active role.

Red River College Polytechnic has announced that its Language Training Centre is now the Centre for Newcomer Integration. Using a $300K donation provided by BMO Financial Group, the newly renamed centre will build its language training programs and align its support services with client needs. The centre will support new stakeholder engagement opportunities and coordinate with partners to provide newcomers with the linguistic and cultural skills they need to contribute to Manitoba’s communities and workplaces.