October 2, 2025

Kwantlen Polytechnic University will be constructing its first on-campus housing project, which will offer over 350 beds and a 160-seat dining hall. This eight-storey building will include single- and double-occupancy rooms and four-bedroom apartment-style units, as well as connection spaces, student supports, active-living amenities, and access to food services. It will prioritize housing for Indigenous students and former youth in care. The Government of British Columbia has committed $119M to the $144M project. “Housing will give options for future students, helping them focus on their studies while fostering a closer sense of community,” said KPU President Dr Bruce Choy. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027.

The University of Waterloo and Google have announced a partnership that includes a $1M initiative to establish the Google Chair in the Future of Work and Learning. UWaterloo President Dr Vivek Goel said that this chair will “[connect] mathematics and computer science with the social sciences and humanities, and links academia with industry and government.” This chair, which is situated within the Future of Work Institute, will be held by Dr Edith Law, who will work with Google to design learning tools and environments. The partnership will also support research and education initiatives, including hands-on learning labs for students.

In a recent article for The evoLLLution, Kyle Massey (College of the North Atlantic) and Olivia Heaney (CNA) discuss CNA’s program assessment model. Massey and Heaney explain that this assessment process uses academic quality standards that create a common foundation for discussions about quality and improvement. The process starts with a self-study, followed by a site visit, the creation of an enhancement roadmap, and follow-up status reports. The authors explain that faculty and administrators have begun to see the assessment as a way to enhance their programs, expand collaboration, and participate in a culture of openness. “Together, we can build systems that don’t just monitor quality but drive it forward,” conclude Massey and Heaney.

Queen’s University’s Bader College campus in the UK will reopen in 2026, following its closure in 2023 due to structural issues. While the college previously offered undergraduate-only programming, it will be introducing faculty-led international learning upon its reopening. Bader College lecturer Diana Gilchrist said that the Herstmonceux Castle will act as an “international study centre” for students from Queen’s and from other institutions around the world. It will have an additional emphasis on place-based learning. The college has also launched the Bader College Academic Programming Development Initiative, which provides awards of up to $10K for faculty members who develop successful new course proposals for the college.

The University of British Columbia has received nearly $4.8M from the Government of Canada for two projects focused on sexual and reproductive health services accessibility. UBC’s Contraceptive & Abortion Research Team will use $4.3M to undertake several initiatives including updating content on the Canadian Abortion Provider Support Website and developing resources for patients. UBC’s Stigma and Resilience Among Vulnerable Youth Centre will receive $451K, which will be used to develop and implement sexual education sessions for diverse 2SLGBTQI+ youth in British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador. The funding is a part of a broader $13M investment in sexual and reproductive health projects.

Cégep Beauce-Appalaches has inaugurated a new $1.7M learning space that will be used for its police technology and prehospital emergency care programs. The facilities include a room reserved for emergency care students; a new classroom; and simulation environments such as a police station, an interrogation room, a park, and an apartment. Students will also have access to equipment and immersive technologies to prepare them for their careers. The space was designed in collaboration with other colleges—including Cégep Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Cégep Garneau, and Collège La Cité—as well as contributions from other key partners.

The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology has officially opened a cyber range at its downtown campus. The immersive cybersecurity training facility includes defender and attacker rooms, as well as a central command centre. Students can develop their skills and ability to act decisively in high-pressure environments through the facility’s customizable simulations. “The demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals has never been greater,” said SAIT School for Advanced Digital Technology Dean Cherie Bowker. “This new SAIT facility is exactly what Calgary needs to continue to further establish our reputation as a leader in advanced digital technology education.”

AI use in academic writing is becoming increasingly common, so clear policies must be set to ensure the integrity of research, writes George Chalhoub (University College London). Chalhoub notes several cases of published works mistakenly including text output indicating AI authorship, as well as cases of peer reviewers using AI to write reviews. He attributes this to the academic and financial incentives for frequent publishing, in combination with the exponentially increased workload of peer reviewers. As a solution, he urges authors and reviewers to openly declare AI use and encourages reviewers to educate themselves on the limits and potential abuses of AI. He concludes by emphasizing that journals must support these policies through clear rules and consequences for violations.

The Government of Ontario has announced that it will open a temporary police college campus for Basic Constable Training in Cornwall this Fall. More than 100 police recruits will be trained at the campus this Fall, the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder reports. Cornwall Police Chief Shawna Spowart applauded the move, saying that the new campus could allow many recruits to study closer to home, avoiding the need to attend training at the main college in Aylmer ON. ON has not announced whether the site will remain operational for further intake periods after this Fall.

Cégep de Lévis’s continuing education and business services department has unveiled a new industrial robotics work-study course through a partnership with the Chambre de commerce et d’industrie du Grand Lévis. The program will give learners the opportunity to collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to program industrial robots and integrate them into automated systems. It is designed so that working professionals can remain employed through their studies. Cégep de Lévis Directrice de la Formation continue et des services aux entreprises Kathleen Cantin explained that work-study programs often appeal to participating companies because they can raise employee retention rates.