March 1, 2023

MacEwan University will be receiving $125M in capital funding over four years to support the development of a facility for the university’s new School of Business. The proposed seven-storey tower will feature a simulated trading floor, 30 classrooms, 20 collaboration spaces, and 15 study spaces for students. MacEwan International and a dedicated Careers and Experience office will also be housed within the building. “This new space is greatly needed,” commented MacEwan Board Chair Carolyn Graham, who indicated that the university is nearing its maximum capacity. The funding, which is provided by the Government of Alberta, will be available to the university beginning in 2024.

14 research teams from postsecondary institutions and organizations across Canada will be receiving $12M in combined funding for projects on health care transitions. The funds will support interdisciplinary research teams that are working on projects related to patient transitions. The research teams will collaborate with health care providers, people with lived experience, caregivers, and decision-makers as part of their studies. Recipients include teams from Queen’s University, the University of Alberta, Western University, Bruyère Research Institute, McGill University, and the University of Calgary. The funding is provided by Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Azrieli Foundation, Mitacs, and the Rossy Foundation.

Primacorp Ventures Inc, which owns the land that Quest University resides on, has published a flyer advertising the property. The digital flyer reportedly went live after the university’s announcement about the suspension of academic operations. Quest issued a release stating that it had recently learned that the land has been for sale through NAI Commercial since late 2022, and that the website contained incorrect information about what is for sale. “Quest University Canada is NOT for sale,” reads the release. “What is for sale, from our understanding, is the campus lands and the accompanying development lands.”

McMaster University’s aerospace training program will be receiving a $3.8M boost from the federal government to support the design of a targeted curriculum in partnership with Mohawk College Enterprise and other industry partners. The program will educate and upskill almost 340 workers, 100 of whom will be Indigenous, with the intent of strengthening small and medium sized businesses in the sector as they adjust their operations to be more environmentally sustainable. McMaster will also work with Indigenous organizations to improve access to skilled jobs and develop a set of short courses for business leaders on Indigenous communities and culture.

The University of Manitoba’s anti-racism task force has released a report containing its initial findings and recommendations for streamlining its incident response. According to the university, the seven recommendations are foundational in nature and include developing measurable targets, establishing an overarching anti-racism policy, and providing education to decision-makers at all levels on how to use an anti-racism lens and address diversity gaps. “The task force is really mindful that many task force reports get done, and nothing really happens,” said UManitoba Executive Lead of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Tina Chen. “What I hope is quite different in this moment is that the reports that we’re seeing about anti-racism (now) are a result of broad-based community activism that is insisting the work be done.”

Cambrian College has launched a three-year Bachelor of Business Administration degree program. The program will cover foundational business knowledge, as well as critical-thinking and decision-making skills development. Students will have the opportunity to take a semester abroad with a partner university and will be able to participate in on-the-job learning. “This is completely new territory for Ontario’s colleges as we prepare students for the business world of today and tomorrow,” said Cambrian VPA Dr Paula Gouveia. Cambrian states that it is the first Ontario college to launch a three-year degree.

Thompson Rivers University has published a set of guidelines for staff and instructors on how to best support Muslim students during Ramadan. The resource – compiled by Intercultural Storyteller Amna Qazi in collaboration with TRU’s Student Affairs and the Multi-Faith Chaplaincy – explains that when Ramadan overlaps with exam season, Muslim students may experience increased anxiety, changes in energy levels and sleep patterns, and have religious commitments that overlap with academic deadlines. The resource offers practical advice on how to accommodate students’ needs, including being flexible with deadlines, allowing for short class breaks for students to complete their prayers, and collaborating with the students to determine reasonable accommodations.

Toronto Metropolitan University’s Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst has partnered with the SANS Institute to launch the Certifications for Leadership in Cybersecurity (CLIC) program. Designed to address the growing, global demand for cybersecurity professionals, this dual-certification program will offer participants the opportunity to earn two globally recognized SANS GIAC certifications. CLIC students will participate in six months of part-time, intensive online learning, and receive mentorship from leading experts in the sector. “We are building on the momentum of earlier training programs,” said TMU CLIC program director Rushmi Hasham, “[a]nd we’re thrilled to be able to offer the world-class training that the Catalyst is known for to anyone with an interest in cybersecurity.”

Assiniboine Community College will be receiving $2.1M in funding from the Government of Manitoba to offer a one-time practical nursing diploma program in Neepawa. The program will enable 25 practical nursing students to complete their studies while remaining close to home with hopes that they will stay in rural health settings after graduation. Graduates will be able to work locally at the new Neepawa hospital, which is under construction and is expected to be complete in 2025. “Nursing is Assiniboine’s largest single program and our graduates have a track record of getting jobs and staying in Manitoba,” said ACC President Mark Frison. “This welcome investment by the Manitoba government allows us to respond to needs in Neepawa.”

An experimental research building at Université Laval was ravaged by a fire on Thursday afternoon. The experimental energy building was the site of research for ULaval’s Industrial Research Chair on Eco-Responsible Wood Construction and housed a family of four. Firefighters were dispatched to respond to the situation, but the building was ultimately destroyed by the fire. No one was harmed by the flames or smoke. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the fire department and a fundraising campaign has been launched to support the family.