March 27, 2025

The Government of Québec has introduced its 2025-26 budget, which projects a deficit and seeks to respond to economic turbulence. The budget includes $9B in to support and maintain infrastructure at postsecondary institutions; an additional $45M per year for the Student Financial Assistance program; $22M per year for five years to support the Mila research centre; and funds to support training to address the demand for teachers. The budget also introduces a new tax credit for research, innovation, and commercialization efforts. Le Devoir reports that the budget for higher education has increased by 2.1% this year: Organizations such as the Bureau de coopération interuniversitaire and Fédération des cégeps stated that this limited increase in funding will force universities and the colleges to make cuts.

Fleming College has unveiled new interactive digital maps for its Sutherland, Frost, and Haliburton campuses. The maps—which are accessible on phones, computers, and tablets—offer a user-friendly way for visitors to explore buildings, classrooms, and key service areas. Features of the maps include search and locate functions, directions, detailed information, photos, and customizable views. On its website, Fleming stated that it hopes the maps will support new students in their first semesters, visitors coming to campus for the first time, and staff planning meetings.

University of Alberta public health students are advocating for the creation of a specialized intensive care unit (ICU) that would meet the needs of Edmonton’s homeless population. The Student Advocates for Public Health presented their proposal at a news conference on Tuesday, noting that unhoused individuals in the city rely on emergency services at a rate 8.5 times higher than the general population. To better support those experience homelessness and reduce the strain on local health-care systems, the students are calling for a 24/7 ICU that would combine medical care, addiction recovery services, mental health support, rehabilitation counselling, and transitional housing. This idea reportedly emerged from discussions that took place in a public health course led by UAlberta professors and physicians at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.

The Université du Québec à Montréal has launched four new graduate programs to help learners meet today’s changing workforce demands. Three programs focus on digital marketing and AI: a specialized diploma (DESS) in digital marketing and AI, a graduate micro-program in digital marketing, and a graduate micro-program in AI-integrated marketing. The fourth is a graduate micro-program in health and social services organization management, which is designed to help managers with less than five years of experience enhance their problem-solving, monitoring, and interpersonal skills. Each of the four programs can be laddered into a master’s degree and are offered in a hybrid format to support students’ work-life balance.

In a recent Trending in Education podcast episode, host Mike Palmer and Riipen CEO Dana Stephenson discuss the importance of integrating work-integrated learning (WIL) into postsecondary education. Stephenson highlights how WIL provides students with valuable experiences, social connections, and opportunities for portfolio development. Moreover, employers benefit from fresh talent and support with deliverables, while postsecondary institutions gain insights into how they can align their curriculum with industry needs. Stephenson also emphasizes the value of project-based learning, especially for employers and educators who do not have the resources to implement formal co-op or internship programs. Palmer and Stephenson conclude that project-based learning can ultimately be transformative for students, employers, and educators who are seeking to tackle the experience gap head-on.

MacEwan University and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology have each announced partnerships with transportation-focused organizations. MacEwan and the Alberta Motor Association (AMA) are building on current collaborations to create formalized work-integrated learning opportunities for students at the AMA. They will also explore other opportunities for collaboration, including research or creative studies, innovations, and testing solutions. SAIT and Lufthansa Technik Canada (LTCA) have signed a memorandum of understanding to co-create new aviation training. LTCA and SAIT’s School of Transportation will develop training that is tailored to their global maintenance, repair, and overhaul standards.

The Montréal Gazette reports that the façade of the Université de Montréal was vandalized with red spray paint earlier this week. On Tuesday morning, UMontréal campus security officers reportedly spotted several vandals in the act and detained a 31-year-old woman. Police arrived shortly after, arrested the woman, and conducted questioning. According to Le Journal de Montréal, authorities believe the vandalism was likely carried out by pro-Palestinian protesters. The publication also notes that campus activities have continued as usual.

The University of Saskatchewan’s College of Law has received $500K from MLT Aikins in support of the institution’s Be What the World Needs campaign. The donation will be used to remove financial barriers for law students and increase access to education for Indigenous students. Specifically, it will fund scholarships for students who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential, and commitment to public service; and Indigenous law entrance scholarships and awards, including a new dedicated entrance award. In honour of the donation, USask will extend the naming of its MLT Aikins LLP Lecture for another 10 years.

A processing error at the University of British Columbia reportedly resulted in 215 applicants receiving incorrect acceptance letters. Castanet reports that students were notified on Friday that they had been accepted into their program of choice, but received an update the next business day stating that they been given an “incorrect offer of admission” and that their status would be corrected. UBC Associate Registrar of Student Recruitment and Undergraduate Admissions Sam Saini said that the university took immediate steps to resolve the issue. “While all the students who received these offers have been admitted to UBC, the error was related to their choice of program,” said Saini. “We sincerely regret this mistake and understand how disappointing and frustrating it is for those affected.”

A recent EdTech article highlights several strategies that instructors are using to integrate AI into the classroom to benefit students. Instructor Andrew DeOrio (University of Michigan) introduced a custom AI chatbot to help with a project. DeOrio noted two benefits: most students who used the bot (77%) said it was helpful and the topics of inquiries that students brought to him directly were more complex. Alexa Alice Joubin (The George Washington University) shared how she has used a custom AI teaching assistant prototype to provide feedback on student writing. Muhsinah Morris (Morehouse College) discussed how using an AI version of herself increases student comfort and helps students work independently. The article concludes by highlighting best practices such as cybersecurity measures and predefined boundaries to ensure student safety.