May 1, 2023

The federal government has announced a $1.4B investment through the Canada First Research Excellence Fund to support research in strategic areas. The investment will support large-scale research initiatives at eleven institutions: Concordia University, Dalhousie University, McGill University, Memorial University, Toronto Metropolitan University, Université de Montréal, University of Calgary, University of Ottawa, University of Toronto, University of Victoria, and York University. The funds will go toward research on a variety of topics, including genomic-based RNA therapeutics, clean energy and transportation, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and migrant integration.

Carleton University Professor Hassan Diab has been convicted in absentia by the Paris courts for charges related to the bombing of a Paris synagogue in 1980. Diab was previously extradited to France in 2008 and returned to Canada in 2018 after a court found significant exculpatory evidence, explains a statement from CAUT. According to The Guardian, Diab reportedly remains in Canada and did not attend the Paris trial, where his legal team argued he was the victim of mistaken identity. CAUT stated that it is “appalled” by the recent conviction and urged Canada to prevent Diab’s extradition to France.

The Government of Quebec has demanded a report on the situation at Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe, where Le Devoir reports that a climate of discontentment has settled over the faculty and senior leadership. Le Devoir reports that faculty have denounced the unhealthy work climate at the cégep and raised concerns about the staff turnover rate, the quality of student services, high student failure rates in some programs, and staff morale. Cégep directeur général Emmanuel Montini assured Le Devoir that the internal working climate is positive, aside from a singular issue with the faculty union.

Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry has established the Chin-Hardie Chair in Urologic Oncology thanks to an endowed $4M combined contribution. The chair will focus on developing interventions and driving research on cancers of the urinary tract and male reproductive system. “This chair is pivotal in supporting Western’s scientists who spearhead the development of innovative diagnostics and therapies for formidable cancers,” said Dr John Yoo, Dean of the Schulich Medicine & Dentistry at Western. The chair is supported by Schulich professor emeritus Dr Joseph Chin and retired Schulich research associate Bob Hardie, as well as community partners and local businesses.

A collaboration between Red Deer Polytechnic, Olds College of Agriculture & Technology, four school divisions, and an education organization has received new supports to continue providing K-12 students with additional pathways to careers. The Central Alberta Collegiate Institute (CACI) partnership has received $8.7M to grow its specialized programming and experiential learning opportunities and strengthen postsecondary pathways for students in the four school divisions. “This is a collaborative partnership of school divisions and post-secondaries, which has been forging strong links between high school students and their career connections for over a decade,” says Kurt Sacher, Superintendent of Chinook’s Edge School Division. “Our history of success with career programming shows that when high school students have a deeper experience with a career pathway, they are more likely to follow it through to graduation and employment.”

Georgian College and Canadore College have both recently announced new ways that they will be addressing the housing shortage. Georgian is working with SpacesShared to connect students with older adults who are looking to rent out space in their homes. The older adults can safely rent out a room and receive extra income and companionship, while students get access to more affordable housing options. Canadore has announced that it will be bringing back The Greens, its original student residence townhouses, which have been empty since the college began using higher-density student housing. The townhouses will be renovated for rent by families that are currently living in the college’s residences, which in turn will free up space intended for individual renters. Canadore President George Burton added that offering family housing was essential to the college’s broader strategic plan to attract more international students to the region.

Several institutions recently celebrated the grand openings of new centres and facilities on campus. Durham College opened its new Centre for Innovation and Research, which will support synergistic partnerships and networking between the college and its community. Loyalist College unveiled its new Health and IMPACT Centre, which will centralize the college’s student wellness, health, and support services in a single facility. The University of Manitoba and Manitoba Egg Farmers celebrated the opening of the Manitoba Egg Farmers Learning and Research Centre, which is reportedly the first interpretive egg/layer research, education, and training facility in Canada. The centre will host collaborations and research to advance the province’s egg industry. The University of Saskatchewan opened the Jane and Ron Graham Centre for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, where academics will be able to learn more about the scholarship of teaching and learning and collaborate on best practices.

Students, faculty, and alumni are expressing concern after Thompson Rivers University announced plans to phase out its bachelor of fine arts (BFA) program. TRU is reportedly no longer enrolling new students in the program and plans to wind it down over the next three years. The decision was reportedly made due to low enrolment and high costs, and TRU Spokesperson Michelle Nordstrom said that the decision will not result in job losses or impact current students. TRU professors Don Lawrence and Kathleen Scherf expressed concern that closing the program would have a disproportionate impact on marginalized students and Indigenous students. TRU visual arts professor Darlene Kalynka has started a petition to keep the program running which has garnered over 2,300 signatures.

The Government of New Brunswick has invested $2.5M into a scholarship fund to support medical students. The funds will be disbursed by the New Brunswick Medical Education Foundation over five years with the aim of keeping medical students within the province. Global News reports that the scholarship will go to New Brunswick residents who are studying in an eligible medical program, provided they practice in the province after graduation. The initiative will support an estimated 60 medical students each year over the next five years.

The University of Calgary has partnered with the Government of Alberta, Alberta Health Services, and the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation to establish a Centre for Research and Innovative Care at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. The centre will bring together biomedical specialists, data scientists, physicians, nurses, and therapists to conduct vital research and translate the findings into health outcomes for children. “UCalgary’s network of medical researchers need to be connected to frontline clinicians to truly transform children’s health,” said UCalgary President Dr Ed McCauley. UCalgary | Calgary Herald