May 17, 2024

The Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) has released the 2024 Edition of its Global 2000 ranking. To create the ranking, CWUR assesses over 20,000 universities on their performances in the areas of education, alumni employment outcomes, faculty, and research. Several Canadian universities appeared among the top 200 (1%) of the list: the University of Toronto (#23), McGill University (#27), the University of British Columbia (#52), the University of Alberta (#81), Université de Montréal (#123), McMaster University (#171), Western University (#187), and the University of Calgary (#195).

College of the Rockies is launching an Indigenous Advisory Committee to support the college’s commitment to reconciliation. The committee—which will be composed of college representatives, First Nations, Métis Chartered Communities, and the Ktunaxa Nation Council—will provide Indigenous partners with a platform to advocate for their educational needs. It will use a distinctions-based approach, which acknowledges the specific rights, interests, priorities, and concerns of each group while respecting and acknowledging these distinct peoples. Chief Barbara Cote (Shuswap Band) highlighted the importance of ensuring students feel a sense of belonging at their place of learning: “Having the positive supports in the College helps them to discover more about themselves and to achieve their goals in education for their future independence.”

Several institutions in Ontario engaged in talks this week with the protesters who have set up campus encampments. After meeting with McMaster University, a spokesperson for the Solidarity for Palestinians Human Rights group stated that the discussions were “a good start.” Both the University of Ottawa and the University of Windsor reached out to encampment organizers to arrange meetings this week. UWindsor President Robert Gordon stated that he would like to speak to the protesters about what they would like to accomplish and to use the talks as an opportunity to listen and learn. Western University also met this week with student representatives of the encampment on its campus and indicated that Western would like to continue these talks moving forward.

Simon Fraser University is reportedly reducing its programming and laying off staff across its campuses due to budgetary challenges. SFU is ending its Interpretation and Translation program by the end of the month and its English Language and Culture program by the end of the summer. CBC and Global News report that union leaders representing the impacted workers are shocked by these announcements, claiming that SFU has withheld “critical financial information” about the closures. In a statement to Global News, SFU cited budgetary challenges as the motivation behind these cuts, stating that “[d]eclining international student enrolment has had an impact on our financial situation, as have other current cost pressures.”

CBC reports that more than 70% of universities do not track student suicides, leaving these institutions without critical data for understanding and addressing the issue. Of the 52 universities that CBC reached out to, only 15 said that they tracked student suicides, with six able to provide figures forto publication. “If you’re not paying attention to what’s going on in terms of the mental health of your students, then you’re not in a position to be able to try to improve that mental health,” said University of Ottawa Associate Professor Zachary Kaminsky. Canadian Mental Health Association research associate Corey McAuliffe asserted that government bodies should fund mental health services for youth at postsecondary institutions, as they are commonly of the age when they are most likely to be first diagnosed with a mental health problem.

The University of Ottawa has broken ground on its Advanced Medical Research Centre (AMRC). Scheduled to open in 2026, the AMRC will house laboratories, technology platforms, and other essential infrastructure to grow the medical biotechnology sector in the Ottawa region. The centre will also host the Ottawa Health Innovation Hub, where researchers, clinicians, and investors will work together to accelerate the commercialization of new treatments. “(The AMRC) will allow us to accelerate the pace of our discoveries and train more scientists for the future,” said UOttawa AVP, Research Support and Infrastructure Dr Julie St-Pierre. “It will permit basic discoveries to move quickly through the research and innovation pipeline so that we can maximize the impact of our work for the community.”

Collège de Maisonneuve, the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, and Northern Lakes College have each announced new programs. Maisonneuve recently received International Baccalaureate (IB) authorization to offer a Baccalauréat International en Sciences cognitives. The program combines psychology, computer science, and mathematics to understand human and artificial intelligence. NAIT has launched Women Leading and Building Canada’s Future, a program that supports women-identifying students pursuing one of NAIT’s construction, energy, or manufacturing Red Seal trades. The program provides students with financial help, networking, workplace EDI training for employers, and more. Northern Lakes will offer Pre-Employment Pipe Trades to prepare learners for apprenticeship as gasfitters, plumbers, sprinkler systems installers, or steamfitter-pipefitters.

Former University Affairs editor Léo Charbonneau recently interviewed Jessica Riddell (Bishop’s University) about the concepts of critical hope and rewiring institutions for human flourishing. Referencing her recently published book Hope Circuits, Riddell explains that “universities across Canada are flailing” as they contend with a fragmented mission, rigid hierarchies, and “deferred maintenance with regard to our statutes, policies, systems, and structures.” She outlines the necessity of getting people in the sector interested in systems change, developing a shared vocabulary and understanding of how universities work, and encouraging discussions between professionals in different parts of the academy.

CBC reports that an arbitration tribunal has found that Champlain College failed to prevent the psychological harassment of Champlain instructor Lisa Birch. Birch was reportedly investigated after allegations that she was involved in a smear campaign against campus director Edward Berryman. The tribunal concluded that the investigation was done “without any precise allegation” and that it was unclear why Birch was accused of harassment. CBC also provided an update on an external investigation into Champlain director Nancy Beattie. The external investigation reportedly found that, while Beattie’s actions did not necessarily amount to psychological harassment, she had previously engaged in inappropriate behaviour and lacked adequate management skills. The tribunal will next convene at the end of May.

Several universities have reached or ratified agreements with their unions. NOSM University and OPSEU/SEFPO Local 677, Unit 2 announced the ratification of a four-year collective agreement that covers May 2024 to April 2028. Trinity Western University and the Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC) Local 62 have ratified their first collective agreement, which be in effect for three years. The University of Calgary and the Postdoctoral Association of the University of Calgary ratified a new four-year agreement that is in effect retroactively from January 2024 until the end of June 2028. All three ratified agreements include improvements to compensation and workers’ benefits plans.