May 10, 2023

Joanna Chiu of The Star reports that the federal government is in the “advanced stages” of compiling a list of foreign entities–including labs, universities, and research institutions–that pose a risk to national security. The final list of entities will reportedly be released in the summer and will include any entities believed to be engaging in theft, unwanted knowledge transfers, and interference in research. According to documents reviewed by The Star, grant applications made by Canadian universities in partnership with any entity on the list will be ineligible for federal funding. Several universities commented that they will cease working with the named entities, despite the potential loss in annual research funding.

Lambton College has officially unveiled its new School of Nursing. The school will offer the Personal Support Worker Ontario College Certificate, Practical Nursing Ontario College Diploma, and Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing Degree programs. The revitalized school structure will “help us focus on achieving student-centric growth by building on our strengths and capitalizing on new and evolving education and training opportunities in healthcare for our students,” explained Mary Vaughan, Senior Vice President, Academic & Student Success at Lambton. The school will also enable the college to better support local health partners and community services, offer a more consistent approach to healthcare training, and offer an improved student experience.

Vancouver Island University has applied to offer its Rural and Remote Bachelor of Education Program in the Northwest Territories. Cabin Radio reports that the program would be delivered in a hybrid fashion, with instructors visiting the communities in person and conducting training online. The university hopes to address the shortage of Indigenous teachers within NWT by providing an option for learning closer to home. If approved, the first pilot cohort would commence in the Fall with 15 students.

Mohawk College’s Unmanned and Remote Sensing Innovation Centre (URSIC) has established a new research site for remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) through a three-year agreement with the City of Hamilton. The location is secure, designated as an uncontrolled airspace; and positioned near transportation networks, water, industrial land, and harbour. It will be a regional hub for RPAS research and development. Mohawk and Transport Canada’s Innovation Centre have also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which will allow the two to collaborate on RPAS research and drone product testing. “Having a designated space that offers a variety of environments will allow URSIC researchers to assist industry partners across a number of important economic sector,” said Mohawk VP, Academic Dr Cebert Adamson.

While there is a growing trend to provide pedagogical training to instructors who teach undergraduate students, this opportunity is rarely afforded to those teaching graduate students, opines Leonard Cassuto for the Chronicle of Higher Ed. The author contends that the needs of graduate students differ from those of undergraduates however, and instruction should be reoriented accordingly. More specifically, Cassuto argues that graduate courses should be reframed to meet the students’ needs as “intellectuals and future professionals.” Cassuto encourages instructors of graduate students to actively seek out pedagogical best practices and connect with other professors as resources. Additionally, the author proposes that institutions should convene semester-long colloquiums so that new faculty members teaching graduate courses can learn from one another.

The University of Regina Faculty Association (URFA) is calling for the Government of Saskatchewan to provide the University of Regina with emergency funding after positions were discontinued due to budget constraints. CBC reports that URegina has undergone “workforce adjustments,” which include layoffs and the non-extension of some short-term contracts. URFA President Britt Hall said that the union knows of seven positions that have been lost and says that these lost positions will impact staff workload. CBC reports that SK Advanced Education Minister Gordon Wyant said that the university did not ask for additional funding in this year’s budget.

The Government of New Brunswick is allocating $970K in funding to bolster the Université de Moncton’s nurse practitioner program. With this funding boost, the program will expand from a part-time to full-time program and increase the number of annual graduates from three to 12. This announcement comes in response to the province’s staffing shortages in the healthcare sector. UMoncton President Denis Prud’homme noted that this funding supports the school’s mission to train creative and committed healthcare professionals, adding: “I am convinced these professions will contribute to the transformation of the health system to better meet the needs of the francophone population of New Brunswick.”

Two of Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s biology programs have gained accreditation from the BC College of Applied Biology. KPU’s bachelor of science major in biology and bachelor of science (honours) major in biology were accredited. This means that graduates of these programs can add Biologist in Training to their resume immediately or add Registered Professional Biologist (RPBio) to their resume after three years of work experience. “There are only a handful of post-secondary institutions in BC whose biology programs are accredited by the college, so this is very prestigious for KPU and demonstrates the value of our programs for students interested in careers in applied biology,” said KPU Faculty of Science and Horticulture dean Brett Favaro.

In an editorial for Corporate Knights, Emily Baron Cadloff writes that university research will be essential to achieving the federal government’s goal of ensuring 60% of new cars sold in Canada are zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by 2030. Cadloff contends that university-level research is uniquely able to focus on medium- to long-term projects, which industry partners may not have the capacity for. The author profiles the ongoing work of Canadian universities that are studying various aspects of ZEV deployment, including research on how to improve vehicle battery life, strengthen the electrical grid, and incentivize drivers to purchase the vehicles.

Groups are continuing to speak out in response to Simon Fraser University’s decision to cut its football team. Community members spoke to Coquitlam City Council about the decision, and discussed the impact of the cuts on high school graduates, the loss of mentors for local high schools and the community, and the significant investments that have been made into the sport. The Simon Fraser Football Alumni Society has tabled a proposal “asking to engage on the football program’s future.” The group made a variety of requests, including that the program be reinstated and that the university open talks with Canada West and U Sports about the next season. Sportsnet reports that SFU has hired a lawyer who specializes in sports-related matters.