October 28, 2025

BHP Foundation has announced roughly $16M in funding to support a new Indigenous-led initiative to support Indigenous entrepreneurship and business education. Created in partnership with Colleges and Institutes Canada, Nicola Valley Institute of Technology, Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, and Six Nations Polytechnic, the initiative will develop Indigenous entrepreneurship and mentorship training, support Indigenous learners in accounting and financial training programs, and solve problems relevant to Indigenous communities. “We’re going to be experiencing new approaches and see business entrepreneurship and economic research in a new lens with grounding and values taught to us by First Nations, Inuit and Metis experts,” said CICan CEO Pari Johnston.

A labour arbitrator has ruled in favour of the Union of Northern Workers in his recent review of a grievance filed against Aurora College. The union alleged that the college violated an article in its collective agreement, which requires the employer to meaningfully consult on the possibility of a workplace reduction.Arbitrator Thomas Jolliffe reportedly found that “the contemplation phase had ended by the time the consultation process was involved and there was no meaningful consultation as required by the contract language.”

The Government of Canada has awarded two contracts—valued at $5.4M—to ABB Inc and Honeywell in Canada in support of the High-altitude Aerosols, Water vapour and Clouds (HAWC) mission. The HAWC mission—part of the NASA-led Atmosphere Observing System mission—involves 14 Canadian universities, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and NRC Canada. ABB and Honeywell will develop concepts and technologies for the Thin Ice Clouds and Far InfraRed Emissions (TICFIRE) instrument, which is one of three instruments that will be used on the HAWC satellite. Led by scientifically by the Université du Québec à Montréal, TICFIRE will gather data that can be used to understand how heat escapes from Earth.

The Government of Canada and Government of Nova Scotia have signed a bilateral agreement focused on minority-language education and second-language instruction. Under the agreement, Canada will invest more than $48M into NS’s efforts to offer French as a minority language and French as a second language education from preschool level through to postsecondary education. “French language learning in our schools and postsecondary institutions plays a key role in supporting the Acadian and Francophone communities,” said NS Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development and Advanced Education Brendan Maguire.

Several postsecondary institutions are among the recipients of a recent $35M disbursement by the Government of Canada through the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF). The purpose of the EAF is to help build more accessible, safe, and inclusive workplaces and communities. Projects at Ontario Tech University (as UOIT), Six Nations Polytechnic, Trent University, the University of Alberta, and the University of Waterloo, were funded under the 2024 EAF small projects component. Two projects at Acadia University were funded under the 2024 EAF youth innovation fund.

Acadia University will establish the Canadian Tick Research and Innovation Centre (CTRIC), thanks to a $755K donation from Peter and Susan Gordon of Ontario. The funds will be used to create a tick breeding program at CTRIC, which will reduce the need for US-bred ticks. Acadia researcher Dr Nicoletta Faraone explained that “by maintaining colonies that reflect the genetic diversity of ticks found in Canada, we can study species that are locally relevant and provide data that directly supports Canadian public health and product development.” In addition to tick breeding, researchers at the facility will perform pathogen testing and test tick repellents. The facility is expected to open in 2026.

The University of Victoria has published a new Indigenous Citizenship Declaration (ICD) Policy, which will take effect on November 1st. Under the new policy, those seeking Indigenous-specific opportunities will be expected to declare their affiliation with an Indigenous Nation and provide supporting information. This policy was developed through a consultative process, and with the support of the University of Saskatchewan. UVic Acting President Qwul’sih’yah’maht, Robina Thomas noted that not all declarations will be straightforward, so applicants will have access to a policy navigator. “We have made a commitment that we will walk with folks that are trying to navigate this policy until we can’t walk with them any longer,” she said. “We’re not just saying: ‘If you don’t have this, you’re out.’”

Many students who rely on AI in their coursework are not trying to cheat—they are trying to cope with gaps in preparation, fear of failure, and a lack of confidence in their own voices, argues Ernesto Reyes (Fresno City College). In conversations with students, Reyes found that those misusing AI for assignments often lacked writing instruction in earlier schooling and came from communities that have been historically underrepresented in higher education. He thus encourages educators to meet AI use with empathy rather than punishment, recognizing the systemic issues that may push students toward unethical use in the first place.

International Business University and Nordik Institute have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on academic programming, applied research, and student engagement initiatives that support Indigenous entrepreneurship and community development. The partners will co-develop micro-credentials and courses on topics such as social enterprise and community engagement and engage IBU students in research and capstone projects with Northern and Indigenous communities. “This partnership embodies the spirit of applied, inclusive, and community-connected education,” said IBU Executive Dean and VP, Academic Dr István Imre.

Cégep de Valleyfield and the Université de Sherbrooke have both recently inaugurated new learning spaces. Cégep de Valleyfield’s newly renovated Centre d’études collégiales de Vaudreuil-Dorion will be able to accommodate more students in a variety of programs and will offer a multidisciplinary teaching clinic, where the general population can take advantage of several treatments and services. The centre—supported by a $4.8M investment from the Government of Québec—will help support the development of the region’s workforce in anticipation of the completion of a new hospital. USherbrooke has inaugurated its NeuroTechno Lab and the Zone d’excellence numérique, both of which will be used by MBA students to develop their digital skills. Students will be able to practice with cutting-edge technologies and earn recognized certifications at no cost, while researchers will be able to explore new innovations.