May 20, 2026

The Royal Society of Canada has joined forces with the academic research community to call for continued funding and preservation of the Association internationale des études québécoises (AIEQ) through a petition. In a statement, AIEQ asserts that it is under threat after the Government of Quebec Ministère des Relations internationales et la Francophonie announced that it will be terminating its financial assistance agreement. AIEQ said that its disappearance would lead to a variety of losses, including study programs, research grants, author tours, and research chairs. The petition was signed by Québec-focused heads of research centres, institutes, and strategic networks; directors; and academics.

Camosun College and W̱SÁNEĆ College have signed an agreement that expands pathways for W̱SÁNEĆ students and supports First Nations-led postsecondary education. W̱SÁNEĆ will offer programs that are grounded in SENĆOŦEN language, ways of knowing, and community priorities, and that lead to an accredited credential offered in partnership with Camosun. W̱SÁNEĆ students will receive academic support from both institutions. Additionally, the agreement will advance education-focused Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada calls to action. “This agreement represents an important step forward in advancing self-determination in postsecondary education,” said W̱SÁNEĆ Director SȽEMXÁMTENOT Kendra Underwood.

Ontario Tech University has filed a lawsuit against YouTube channel @FiqueAyub, which is led by content creator Fique Ayub, for unjust enrichment associated with prank videos filmed on the university’s campus. Two videos, which were recorded in 2024 and 2025, featured Ayub disrupting lectures on campus. The university is reportedly pursuing a claim for $50K in punitive damages and an award based on the income associated with the videos, alleging that profits were earned through the unauthorized trespass and use of Ontario Tech’s property. The National Post reports that in his statement of defence, Ayub claimed that the university “manufactured its own losses” in waiting to address the posts and asserted that his channel is not operated for profit. Ayub has since been barred from entering the university’s campus.

U15 Canada has co-drafted a joint letter with university associations from New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom to call on the European Union to implement supportive measures in its upcoming Horizon Europe Framework Programme 10 (FP10). Among their calls, the university associations urged the EU to ensure that associated country observers continue to have a clear role in the program, ensure the equal treatment of associated countries in applications, and preserve the independence of the European Research Council. The groups say that in light of geopolitical competition, ensuring that associated countries can participate in FP10 from its commencement is “crucial” to maintaining and strengthening research relationships.

Toronto Star journalist Janet Hurley released an article this week examining the use of virtual Grade 12 English offerings to boost grades for postsecondary applications. Hurley notes that Ontario’s Grade 12 University Preparation English (ENG4U) is the most popular Grade 12 course in the province, as it is required by most universities for admissions. However, students are increasingly taking the course either in summer school or online in an effort to get higher grades. Hurley reports that online ENG4U enrolment has increased 333% over the past decade. Hurley concludes that some educators believe that universities should require ENG4U to be attempted in day school before considering online attempts.

Saint Mary’s University’s Sobey School of Business will be launching a co-op option that counts toward a Bachelor of Commerce degree. Students will be able to complete up to three work terms for credit, earning up to nine credits that count toward their degree’s elective requirements. They will set goals at the beginning of their placements and reflect on what they learned and encountered. Work terms will be graded as pass/fail. “This is a student-centred change that strengthens our degree without adding barriers,” said SMU Associate Dean, Undergraduate and Professional Graduate Programs Dr Vurain Tabvuma.

Several postsecondary institutions appeared in the news recently for their involvement with space research. The Université de Montréal and the University of British Columbia are involved in the construction of the European Extremely Large Telescope, which will reportedly be the world’s most powerful optical and infrared telescope. University of Calgary scientists provided ground support for the SMILE (Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer) mission, which launched on Monday. University of Guelph researchers involved in a NASA mission to Mars had their research put at risk after a large rock temporarily got stuck to the tool. The Winnipeg Sun recently highlighted the critical role of Manitoban researchers in Canada’s growing space sector, pointing to research projects at institutions such as Red River College Polytechnic, University of Manitoba, and the University of Winnipeg.

Renison University College and Soka University in Japan recently renewed their partnership agreement. The two partners originally signed an exchange agreement in 2018; the renewal opens the opportunity for further cooperation. Renison President Marc Jerry said that the agreement will see the institutions promoting educational, cultural, and language exchanges. Soka President Mika Suzuki described the renewal as an important step in taking the universities’ partnership to a new level.

The Université du Québec à Montréal has launched an observatory tasked with providing the province with centralized analytics infrastructure for the tourism sector. UQAM professeur du Département de marketing Paul Arseneault will head the observatory, which will explore the potential of AI tools in the field of tourism. The observatory will reduce the fragmentation of information within the industry by pooling, mobilizing, and sharing information with the over 10,000 small- and medium-enterprises in the sector. Arseneault explained that the observatory will provide stakeholders with interactive dashboards and reports for tourism planning and prediction.

Western University Associate Professor Jacob Shelley has indicated that he will not use the results of a final exam that he says nearly 300 students cheated on, reports the London Free Press. Shelley said that there were several signs that students had cheated, including references to content the course did not cover and discrepancies between scores on the multiple-choice and written sections. Shelley said he is concerned that Western’s policies do not prevent cheating and that there is no “real attempt” to address the situation. “Western takes all measures to promote academic integrity and investigates all suspected instances of academic dishonesty in accordance with established procedures,” said Western Communications Director, Stakeholder Relations Alison Springate.