May 7, 2024

The Government of Canada has announced nearly $574M in funding for 19 research projects focused on improving health outcomes and domestic biomanufacturing. The projects are funded through the second stage of the integrated Canada Biomedical Research Fund (CBRF) and Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund (BRIF) competition. The directors of these research projects include scholars from École Polytechnique de Montréal, McMaster University, Simon Fraser University, Toronto Metropolitan University, the Université de Montréal, the Université Laval, the University of Alberta, the University of British Columbia, the University of Guelph, the University of Manitoba, the University of Ottawa, the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Toronto, and the University of Windsor.

The Government of Canada’s Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency is contributing over $9.8M to support Springboard Atlantic and its postsecondary member institutions. With this funding, Springboard Atlantic will bring researchers and industry together to take innovative ideas to market, especially within the sectors of advanced manufacturing, ocean sustainability, and clean energy. Springboard Atlantic’s 19 member institutions will contribute an additional $5.2M to the initiative. “Atlantic Canada’s economy thrives when universities and industry work together,” said MP for Halifax Andy Fillmore. “Thanks to this support, more Atlantic Canadian researchers and entrepreneurs will be able to transform their ideas and innovations into successful businesses.”

Thompson Rivers University and the University of Toronto have each recently met with protestors on their campus. Castanet reports that TRU met with individuals from a student-led pro-Palestine group to discuss the group’s request that TRU disclose and divest any investments that support Israel or companies that do business with Israel. TRU agreed to process investment-related Freedom of Information requests within 30 days and to review student proposals related to divestment. U of T Vice-Provost of Students Sandy Welsh stated that the university met with student representatives from the encampment, describing the discussions as “constructive.” The two parties are working together to address concerns such as those related to health and safety and public access to campus.

Researchers from the University of Alberta have joined an international debate on the Tyrannosaurus rex’s level of intelligence. In 2023, a Vanderbilt University researcher published a study surmising that the T-Rex had somewhere between two and three billion neurons, which they asserted would potentially put the dinosaur’s intellect on par with baboons and other primates. UAlberta scholars Cristian Gutierrez and Doug Wylie worked with an international group of researchers to co-author an article countering these claims, asserting that the T-Rex’s intelligence was probably more on par with that of a crocodile.

Government of Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently commented on the increasing number of pro-Palestinian encampments that have been set up on Canadian postsecondary campuses. Speaking to reporters while visiting Hamilton, Trudeau said that universities must remain places where freedom of speech, the challenge of debate, and discussions about how to shape the world can take place. “We need to make sure that as part of that, everyone can feel safe on campus. Whether you’re a Jewish student, whether you’re Palestinian, whether you have strong feelings on one side or the other,” said Trudeau. “We have to trust both universities to manage their campuses and local police of jurisdiction to do their work to make sure that everyone is safe.”

As the encampment at Vancouver Island University’s campus continues, the university has issued a reminder to the community that structures such as tents and overnight encampments are prohibited on university grounds and that access to buildings will be restricted to those with keycards only. A 24-hour library near the encampment has also closed between midnight to 9 am, a measure which one protester at the encampment called an attempt to “manufacture a health and safety crisis.” The university stated that it “continues to actively support peaceful demonstrations on our campus and the right to freedom of expression.”

Keyano College has partnered with École Boréale to launch an Environmental Club that nurtures an ecological conscience among public school students. This club is part of a larger Keyano initiative that seeks to increase young students’ interaction with the local environment, strengthen collaborative ties between Keyano and local schools, create a community of shared learning, and give Keyano students hands-on experience in environmental fields. The broader initiative involves multiple schools in the Wood Buffalo region. “Our program not only inspires the next generation of environmental stewards in our region but also provides Keyano students with the practical experience they need to excel,” said Keyano Environmental Studies Instructor Dr David Smith.

Concordia University’s Department of French Studies has been designated an official écri+ certification centre, enabling students to receive certification of their written French skills. The écri+ project is an online service that helps students develop their written French skills and receive a certification for their level of proficiency. Concordia says it is the only North American institution to offer an official assessment centre for the écri+ project. “[The écri+ certification] will not only enable individual students to enhance their French skills but also strengthen Concordia’s international reputation as an institution dedicated to promoting the French language,” said Concordia Faculty of Arts and Science Dean Pascale Sicotte.

In a recent article for University World News, Nita Temmerman highlights the high costs of poor internal communications at higher education institutions. Temmerman explains how inadequate communication and information-sharing can reduce employee productivity and motivation, waste time and resources, and facilitate a culture of distrust and non-collaboration among postsecondary employees. To combat this, the author advises institutions to put communication protocols in place that manage how information is shared and preserved and that ensure that shared information is timely, user-friendly, and fit for purpose. The author concludes that doing so will lessen confusion, promote a transparent organizational culture, and enhance overall institutional productivity.

Brock University has expanded its partnership with Niagara Parks with a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will strengthen the preservation and enhancement of local landscapes. Brock and Niagara Parks will expand their collaboration to provide students with more opportunities, facilitate different types of research, and provide a platform for dialogue and engagement with Indigenous communities. The MOU covers several projects that are being led by Brock faculty members, including projects related to water governance, trees, and site interpretation and asset creation.