October 21, 2024

The Government of Northwest Territories has reportedly rejected the College of Northern Canada’s accreditation following a review. In its rejection letters, the NWT Department of Education, Culture, and Employment cited concerns such as the unclear relevance of the college’s programs to Northern Canada and its labour market; a lack of Indigenous instructors or knowledge; a projected international student ratio exceeding NWT’s cap; and a reliance on online learning, which poses challenges for remote communities. The letters also identified strengths and weaknesses in the individual programs that the college planned to offer. CBC reports that the college is still operating.

HEC Montréal has surpassed the $40M goal for its “Powering the Heart of Business” fundraising campaign, which raised funds for the Hélène Desmarais Building. In recognition of the achievement, the HEC Montréal Foundation unveiled a donor recognition wall featuring the names of more than 100 major donors. “The Hélène Desmarais Building will be vital in making connections with the business community and maintaining ties with alumni and friends of HEC Montréal,” said HEC Montréal Foundation President Michel Patry. “It’s more than a physical place. It’s a key driver of economic development, executive education and new partnerships.”

Holland College has officially opened the new Centre for Student Wellness and Academic Success on its Prince of Wales campus. The three-storey, 8,500-square-foot space offers a range of resources, including academic support services, a primary health clinic, and mental health services. “Our goal was to ensure that students have the supports they need to be successful while they are with us as students, make a strong transition into the workforce, and thrive throughout their lives,” said Holland President Dr Alexander (Sandy) MacDonald. The centre’s opening also marks the completion of Holland College Foundation’s Thrive campaign, which surpassed its $2.5M fundraising target.

Trent University Durham Greater Toronto Area is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Established in 1974, Trent Durham initially offered part-time evening courses before welcoming full-time students in 1993. Today, it serves nearly 3,000 students and offers more than 35 undergraduate, postgraduate, and graduate programs. “I feel fortunate to be leading Trent Durham into its second half-century,” said Trent President Dr Cathy Bruce. “Trent aims to build risk takers, solution finders, critical thinkers—all forms of leadership that fit perfectly with the ethos of leadership and growth we see in the City of Oshawa and the Region of Durham.”

McGill University’s Faculty of Education has received a $3.75M donation from alumni Daniel L Gold and Monica Gold to establish the Daniel and Monica Gold Centre for Early Childhood Development. The centre will expand McGill Education’s research and training efforts focused on ADHD, autism, developmental delays, and other neurodivergences. The gift will also increase the capacity of the McGill Psychoeducational & Counselling Clinic, support the launch of a new graduate certificate for early education intervention practitioners in Fall 2025, fund the creation of digital learning materials on learning and development difficulties, and seed related research initiatives.

Red Deer Polytechnic will launch two artificial intelligence (AI) programs in Fall 2025: the AI & Data Analytics Diploma and the AI & Data Analytics Post-Baccalaureate Certificate. These programs are designed to prepare students for careers in the rapidly advancing fields of data analysis, AI technology, machine learning, and business intelligence. Both programs include co-op specializations, enabling students to apply their knowledge in real-world settings. “Students will gain the skills to develop intelligent systems, drive data-driven decisions and contribute to groundbreaking research and technological innovation in Alberta and beyond,” said RDP Dean of the Donald School of Business, Science and Computing Dr Robbie J Halonen.

The Government of Northwest Territories has released a two-year extension to the Apprenticeship, Trades, and Occupation Certification Strategy. This framework will guide the government’s actions over the next two years, with the aims of enhancing skills education and training, addressing employment gaps with targeted support, growing the NWT workforce through partnerships, and improving decision making using labour market data. NWT Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Caitlin Cleveland stated that the extension will continue to provide pathways to employment for the territory’s residents. “By building on the success of the past five years, we will address the shortages in our labour market and make the most of every opportunity to enhance training and education of all NWT residents,” said Cleveland.

Université du Québec à Montréal is launching a certificate program in langue des signes québécoise (LSQ), the Québecois sign language. The program—which UQAM says is the first of its kind—will provide learners with a solid foundation in LSQ to ensure that they can both understand and use the language. UQAM linguistics professor Dr Anne-Marie Parisot explained that, when combined with a major in interpretation, the program will help address the shortage of sign-language interpreters in the province.

Cambrian College has launched a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning Program. The two-semester graduate certificate program will cover topics such as programming for AI, data engineering, and ethics. “This new program will position our students to succeed in AI and machine learning, which are quickly changing the dynamics of practically every industry,” said Cambrian VP Academic Janice Clarke. The Sault Star also reports that Cambrian’s Glencore Centre for Innovation is now guarded by a dragon statue. The dragon was constructed by five Cambrian students, a process that took 300 hours.

Université de Sherbrooke’s health campus has officially opened two new facilities: A health campus library and the Pavillon de santé de précision et de recherche translationnelle. Both buildings are fully carbon neutral and exceed provincial energy requirements. The library offers indoor and outdoor seating, collaborative and independent study spaces, and an art gallery. The new research pavillion will be the flagship building of the health campus and is equipped with laboratories, study spaces, and an inner courtyard to support research, study, and wellbeing.