October 20, 2025

The University of Alberta’s Universiade Pavilion (known colloquially as “the Butterdome”) will undergo $27M in renovations funded by the Government of Alberta. The exterior protections of the 42-year-old building have begun to fail and require repairs, according to UAlberta Manager of Campus Architecture Kelly Hopkin. Hopkin told CTV News that the renovations will also modernize the look of the facility. “We’re going to do things to make it more transparent, so … it doesn’t feel like a 1980s fieldhouse, [but instead] more like a recreation facility and cultural gathering spot for the city,” said Hopkin. Renovations will begin in spring 2026.

Dalhousie University’s Physiotherapy Clinic—which is expected to open next year—has received $2M from Dal alumni Leslie McLean and Scott McCain. The funds will be used to expand care with more private and semi-private treatment rooms, enabling more community members to access personalized care. “The Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Community Wellness Level will be [a] hub for physical activity and entertainment on campus, but its scope extends far beyond sport,” said Dal President Dr Kim Brooks. “It will be a space where lives are improved and relationships are built.”

McMaster University has partnered with the University of Birmingham in the UK to launch a dual-degree pathway in political science and law. Students in the program will earn a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from McMaster and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Birmingham without writing the Law School Admission Test. Participants will study for two years at McMaster, transition to Birmingham for three years, and then return to McMaster for a final year. “This is an incredible opportunity for students who are passionate about pursuing a career in law and want to experience it from both a Canadian and international perspective,” said McMaster Political Science Professor Greg Flynn. Graduates will be prepared to complete Canadian accreditation and bar requirements.

Small landlords across Canada are feeling the strain as the federal cap on international study permits continues to ripple through the student housing market, reports The Globe and Mail. The Globe highlights how the 35% reduction in foreign student permits has led to steep enrolment declines and, by extension, rising rental vacancies in key regions. While larger firms have largely weathered the decline—particularly in high-demand areas like Vancouver—many smaller landlords and those in more rural locations are now rethinking their long-term plans. The Globe notes that some postsecondary institutions are also reassessing their residence expansion and refurbishment projects.

McGill University has opened applications for its Bachelor of Arts in Population and Global Health. The program covers global issues like climate change, pandemics, displacement, and health inequities. McGill Professor and program co-director Alayne Adams said that the program is highly interdisciplinary and includes perspectives from anthropology, economics, environmental studies, epidemiology, psychology, and sociology. As a part of the program, students will apply classroom learning through supervised placements with local organizations. Organizers also plan to include a semester-long experiential learning component offered in partnership with organizations in Canada and abroad.

Saskatchewan Polytechnic laid off 25 staff members last week as part of a broader wave of staffing reductions reported over the past several months, CBC reports. The Saskatchewan Polytechnic Faculty Association (SPFA) said the most recent cuts affected instructional and student-support roles across multiple campuses. SPFA President Michelle Downton attributed the layoffs to a reported $15M budget shortfall linked to declining international student enrolment and provincial funding levels.

Tyndale University’s Tyndale Centre for Pastoral Imagination has launched a Ministry Formation Certificate. Students in the program are able to learn from local pastors in a “pastors training pastors” format. Tyndale Centre Director Dr Sarah Han and Tyndale Centre Coordinator Laura Bevan Alexander said that the six-month certificate is intended for anyone who is considering ministry, as well as those already working in ministry who would like to gain further experience. “[Graduates will] come away with clarity in their sense of calling or purpose, a deeper sense of personal and pastoral formation than what they started with, and practical tools they can apply in their unique ministry contexts,” said Han and Alexander.

Concordia University has partnered with the local museum Musée d’art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul to provide allophone and anglophone Fine Arts students the opportunity to expand their learning while improving their French-language skills. The five-week Studio Baie-Saint-Paul program takes place in Charlevoix, Québec and includes opportunities for students to engage with local artists and take part in a studio visit at the museum. “By weaving language-learning into the arts, we’re showing that French is more than a skill – it’s a medium of creation, collaboration and discovery,” said Concordia Fine Arts Dean Annie Gérin. Concordia will cover students’ accommodation costs during the program.

In a recent article for the evoLLLution, Kerri Shook (University of Montana) describes techniques that postsecondary institutions can use to recruit students more effectively. Shook writes that personalization can help increase feelings of belonging, which ensures that students stay in and complete their programs. The author highlights strategies that can be used to personalize recruitment, including segmenting students into groups and creating tailored messages for them, sharing information that is relevant to student interests, mixing messages from real humans with automated communication, and keeping timing of communication in mind. While the future will include more AI-powered support and holistic and student-driven personalization, Shook emphasizes that students still will want authentic human connections.

The École des pêches et de l’aquaculture du Québec (ÉPAQ) at Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles will be offering a renewed diplôme d’études collégiales (DEC) in aquatic product processing starting in 2026. This new version provides training focused on biofood product development and marketing. Students will learn about how aquatic resources such as fish, mollusks, and algae can be sustainably developed to create processed food and non-food products. The program will be offered both in a hybrid format, with in-person and remote classes and trips to Grande-Rivière for practical experiences.