March 20, 2023

Underrepresented groups will continue to have access to marine training opportunities thanks to a nearly $30M investment from the Government of Canada’s Ocean Protection Plan. The funds will extend the Marine Training Program – which provides marine training opportunities to Indigenous Peoples, Northerners, and women – for an additional four years. It will support the delivery of marine training courses, a safe learning environment, and increased diversity and recruitment. The investment renews partnerships between the federal government and the British Columbia Institute of Technology, in collaboration with Camosun College; Nova Scotia Community College; and the Nunavut Fisheries and Marine Training Consortium. Funds will also be provided to the Western Arctic Marine Training Consortium to support marine training opportunities in the Northwest Territories.

The HEC Montréal Student Investment Fund (FPHEC) will be managing $1M in investments for HEC Montréal and the HEC Montréal Foundation. FPHEC members will receive training from investment specialists who will help them develop their financial analysis and portfolio management skillsets. The opportunity will also enable students to work toward growing the investments while learning about topics such as financial modelling, market monitoring, and investment analysis. “Encouraging real-world experience throughout the learning journey and fostering greater interaction between the student and business communities are an integral part of our teaching approach,” said HEC Director Federico Pasin. “I’m sure that all the students involved will do their utmost to deliver on this major investment mandate.”

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has released new documents that provide insight into Quest University’s challenges. CTV News reports that retired Vancouver lawyer Blake Bromley, who is one of Quest’s founding directors and was key in raising Quest’s founding funds, is connected to 12 charity foundations that have recently had their charitable status revoked by the CRA. CTV News reports that items such as audit documents, tax returns, and land title records demonstrate that Quest is financially connected to Bromely through “dozens” of charity foundations. The CRA alleges that in almost all cases of revoked charitable status there is a “failure to devote resources to charitable activities.”

The University of New Brunswick, New Brunswick Community College, and Marshall Skills Academy Canada have partnered to create a work-integrated learning model to support the manufacturing industry. The partnership will support four new programs: a manufacturing essentials micro-credential and an advanced manufacturing diploma at NBCC, and a Bachelor of Technology (Industrial) and Master in Systems Engineering (Industrial) at UNB’s Saint John Campus. Tuition costs will be fully covered, and participants will gain industry experience throughout their studies. The partnership is sponsored through a $6.87M investment from the Government of New Brunswick.

In an article for The Conversation, Nipissing University Researcher Avery Beall and Professor David Zarifa highlight the challenges Northern Ontario’s youth face when accessing postsecondary education. The authors underline that many students from the North must decide between staying in their home communities and uprooting to the South to pursue education; the latter creates a “brain drain,” as few students return to the North post-graduation. They conclude that Northern Ontario needs more local postsecondary options and that the provincial funding model should be rethought, since institutions in the North rely heavily on funding and tuition to fund their operations. “Providing educational and employment opportunities for those living throughout Canada’s Provincial North is vital to retaining strong communities and a healthy economy,” write Beall and Zarifa.

The New Brunswick College of Craft and Design has announced a new refugee entrance bursary in response to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. The bursary is open to any Canada-based refugee who wishes to pursue an education in fine craft and design at the college. Successful applicants will pay domestic tuition rates instead of the international rates. The bursary launches in the Fall of 2023 and can be renewed for up to two years.

Northlands College has launched Capable North as part of its 2023 Year of Transformation. Capable North provides a space where people can come together to develop their skills and advance their careers, businesses, and organizations. Capable North offers work-integrated learning opportunities, industry certifications, micro-credentials, general interest programming, and more, and courses are offered at a local campus, virtually, or within the workplace. Northerners will be able to work with facilitators who support their development. “The North is very dynamic, and our shared future is bright,” said Northlands President Karsten Henriksen. “Capable North is about celebrating and creating opportunities for all of northern Saskatchewan.”

Loyalist College has unveiled a newly renovated, state-of-the-art culinary lab which will provide culinary students a place to hone their baking skills and learn more about culinary management. The lab will provide students with access to industry-grade equipment, expert researchers, experienced faculty members, and hands-on learning opportunities. The opening ceremony included a lab tour, food samples, and a beverage-analysis demonstration. Loyalist President Mark Kirkpatrick said that these events highlight the way that the college supports local business and innovation. “With the right combination of support, talent and collaboration, the possibilities for this region are limitless,” said Kirkpatrick.

Graduate programs often insufficiently prepare their students for academic teaching careers, write Benjamin Rifkin, Rebecca S Natow, Nicholas P Salter, and Shayla Shorter for The Chronicle of Higher Ed. After surveying a selection of history, psychology, and biology doctoral programs in the US, the authors found that few programs required students to take credit-bearing courses on teaching. They contended that this results in a disconnect between what graduates are trained to do versus what they are expected to do post-graduation. The authors conclude with a set of recommendations for postsecondary institutions, which include designing mandatory pedagogy courses and evaluating graduate student teaching as part of doctoral programs.

Durham College has launched two initiatives that will help meet the labour demand for healthcare professionals. The Internationally Educated Nurses initiative provides a tuition-free opportunity for nurses who were trained outside of Canada to prepare to meet the College of Nurses of Ontario education requirement. Durham’s Personal Support Worker (PSW) to Practical Nurse Bridge will provide Ontario PSW graduates with the opportunity to study to become Registered Practical Nurses. Those who complete this bridging program will be eligible for advanced entry into Durham’s Practical Nursing Program. “By improving access to these opportunities and delivering them in a way that meets people’s needs, we are providing valuable solutions to students and the community,” said Durham Dean of Professional and Part-Time Learning Nora Simpson.