May 26, 2023

The University of Waterloo will waive tuition for all qualifying students who are members of the Six Nations of the Grand River and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. The university’s main campus is situated on the traditional territory of the two First Nations communities. “I believe Waterloo is the first university in Canada to waive tuition in full for members of specific First Nations communities, and I hope this demonstrated leadership will inspire other post-secondary institutions to take similar action,” said UWaterloo AVP, Indigenous Relations Jean Becker. The university will also offer Ontario domestic tuition rates to Indigenous students from elsewhere in Canada and the United States. For all First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students, the university will also continue to waive application fees.

14 colleges and polytechnics across Canada will embark on research infrastructure projects, thanks to a combined $16M investment from the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s (CFI) College Fund. The funds will be used to construct or upgrade state-of-the-art labs and facilities so that college researchers can help address societal research and development needs. The projects supported by the funding include Lambton College’s new Food and Beverage Research Laboratory; Northern Alberta Institute for Technology (NAIT)’s Centre for Boreal Research; and Campus Notre-Dame-de-Foy (CNDF)’s open-air, experimental research site.

A US lobby group called United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) is reportedly urging Canadian universities to reconsider their research ties to Iran. Joe Friesen of the Globe and Mail reports that UANI has identified several Iranian-Canadian research collaborations, although the collaborations are not directly related to nuclear or military research. The organization wrote to Concordia University, McGill University, the University of Alberta, the University of British Columbia, the University of Manitoba, the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo, and Western University urging them to “rethink” these ties. In their responses, Canadian university leaders emphasized the importance of academic freedom and the value of open research. “Academic freedom should only be limited by the boundaries of the law,” stated UBC VP Philip Barker.

Lambton College will open a new campus in Ottawa, with intake beginning in January 2024. Lambton Ottawa will lease space from Saint Paul University to host the college’s Centre for Graduate Studies. While studying in the capital, Lambton students will have access to SPU’s amenities, including its library, cafeteria, and student residences. “This is an opportunity for Lambton College to provide a robust, supportive, academically strong student experience in a vibrant international education market,” said Lambton President Rob Kardas. “This is Lambton College’s first public-public collaboration, and we are enthused about how this collaboration supports the public system and optimizes existing space at Saint Paul University.”

The Government of Canada recently announced an investment of $6.35M to support 13 teams across Canada research mpox and other zoonotic threats. At the Université de Montréal, researchers will use the funding to develop an epidemiological model of mpox; the University of British Columbia and the BC Centre for Disease Control will assess the effectiveness of public health campaigns; the University of Saskatchewan will analyze mpox transmission and host responses to infection. University of Toronto researchers will assess the risk of a poxvirus outbreak in the agricultural sector and York University will receive funding to better predict future outbreaks of zoonotic diseases.

Laboratoire sur l’agriculture urbaine (AU/LAB) of the Université du Québec à Montréal has unveiled a multifunctional space dedicated to the promotion of urban agriculture. The Tiers-lieu de l’agriculture urbaine is located in the Centre-Sud district of Montréal and includes a four-season greenhouse, a rooftop community garden, and open spaces for conferences, exhibitions, and other events on the topic of urban agriculture. Tiers-lieu’s rooftop garden will be managed by Carrefour solidaire, a local food organization, while its program of activities will be developed in collaboration with the community. AU/LAB co-director Jean-Philippe Vermette underlines that urban agriculture can counter food insecurity, create a space for the community, and contribute to climate change adaptation.

The Government of British Columbia has announced that it will increase funding for settlement services to $25.6M annually to ensure newcomers can successfully integrate into their communities and access education, health care, and employment. The expanded settlement program is expected to serve over 40,000 people–including international students and foreign workers– each year after its launch in 2024. “When newcomers thrive, our communities become stronger,” said BC Minister of Municipal Affairs Anne Kang. “The steps we’re taking today will help ensure that newcomers receive the services they need to flourish in BC.”

In an editorial for University Affairs, Letitia Henville and Dr Rachael Cayley (University of Toronto) discuss the importance of signposting in academic writing. Henville and Cayley explain that signposting involves providing indicators of the paper’s structure throughout, by using phrases like “This section will discuss” or “Now we’re going to see…”. The benefit of signposting is that it can reinforce the text’s overall structure and make it easier for the reader to navigate the ideas therein. Henville and Cayley underline some cases where signposting may not be as necessary however, for instance in the case of a grant application or a paper that follows a strict, predictable structure.

St Lawrence College held the grand opening for its new guard.me Global Learning Centre on Thursday. The centre will serve as a global education resource hub, where faculty can explore overseas teaching and research opportunities and students can learn more about study- and work-abroad opportunities. “By having a welcoming, central hub in a prominent place on the Kingston campus, we are affirming our commitment to offer a wide range of global opportunities for all our students and faculty, which is increasingly vital in our interconnected world,” said SLC President Glenn Vollebregt. S

Starting this fall, Cégep de Sorel-Tracy will offer its AEC in special education techniques in an accelerated format. This decision was made in response to a critical labour shortage in the sector and to help more students graduate in a shorter time frame. Three internship placements are also integrated into the program to align the training with the changing needs of the job market. Students will have the opportunity to work in different settings, from rehabilitation centres to schools, hospitals, and more.