October 6, 2025

Emily Carr University has entered its 100th academic year, with several celebratory events planned from now until September 2026. The university says that celebrations will include community events, exhibitions, public speakers, and more. “Art and design don’t just reflect the world, they shape it,” said ECU President Dr Trish Kelly. “Our centennial is a chance to showcase that truth and to lay the foundation for ECU’s continued evolution.” Originally known as the Vancouver School of Decorative and Applied Arts, ECU was the first art school in British Columbia.

HEC Montréal has received more than $1M from the Jacques Lessard Foundation to support future business professionals. HEC will use the donation for 16 annually awarded needs-based bursaries for business students facing financial needs. “We need well-trained executives to be able to address the economic and social challenges that we’re seeing more and more of,” said Jacques Lessard. “Education is our best bet for safeguarding our collective future, increasing our nation-wide productivity and remaining competitive on world markets.”

In a recent article, Nicole Johnson (Canadian Digital Learning Research Association) and Russ Poulin discuss the way definitions are employed across education to describe digital learning modalities. While studies have found some agreement on the definitions for broad concepts, the lines distinguishing modalities have become increasingly blurred, compounded by the fact that digital learning is now a “continuous spectrum of experiences.” The authors argue that the Online Learning Consortium’s recently published “Primer” demonstrates that work must still be done in the areas of definitions and terminology. The authors conclude with a call to action to tackle issues related to definitions.

The student-as-customer model used at Canadian universities must be discarded, writes John Walsh (University of Guelph). Walsh outlines the issues with this model, such as its costliness, inefficiencies, and its tendency to invite “a consumer culture into a sector that cannot tolerate it.” He proposes a reframing that treats parents and governments as investors and targets society—not students—as the true customer of higher ed that is looking to “purchase” graduates with skills, citizenship, and economic contributions. “We owe it to students, taxpayers, employers and society to restore rigour to undergraduate education,” he concludes. “This means aligning public funding with long-term returns, and abandoning a model that treats universities like retail vendors and students like discretionary spenders.”

The University of Manitoba has unveiled its renamed Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (FGPS), which was formerly known as the Faculty of Graduate Studies. The university changed the faculty’s name to recognize the role that postdoctoral fellows play in its research community. “Postdoctoral fellows are essential contributors to innovation and discovery, and this change ensures they are visible and valued as part of our academic community,” said UManitoba FGPS Associate Dean and Postdoctoral Lead Dr Stephen Kirkland.

Université du Québec à Montréal’s fashion school—the École supérieure de mode—has unveiled its new visual identity. The identity includes new colours—purple, green, and blue—which are displayed in the pavilion’s window with the goal of showing a space that reflects the student community. Additionally, UQAM said that content related to the redesign will be placed on the school’s digital platforms. UQAM explained that this new identity reaffirms the school’s mission and interest in training professionals who are ready to work in the evolving fashion industry.

The University of New Brunswick and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) – Local 3339 have signed a collective agreement. CUPE Local 3339 represents approximately 55 support staff employees who work on the Saint John campus in a variety of roles, including general labour, trades, clerical, secretarial, and library assistant positions. UNB said that both parties were pleased with the five-year agreement, which they viewed as mutually beneficial.

Advocacy groups such as the Fédération des cégeps are calling on the Government of Québec’s higher education minister Martine Biron to lift the hiring freeze and other caps on cégeps in the province. Éric Cyr of the Fédération du personnel professionnel des collèges explained that cégeps are currently facing a three-way budgetary restriction, composed of a hiring freeze, a paid hours cap, and cuts. Radio-Canada reports that the advocates are encouraging Biron to follow the example of the Sonia LeBel, QC’s new minister of education, who recently reversed her predecessor’s imposed hiring caps.

The University of Lethbridge’s Residence Life team has created the Resident Emergency Food Fund to provide students living in residence with emergency access to food. The fund is supported by a grant from the Food for Thought committee, which runs several other initiatives on campus including a food-sharing hub and free fresh produce events. Eligible students in need will be able to access short-term supports through vouchers and grocery cards, as well as support for the long-term, including resources and referrals. ULethbridge Campus Life Housing Coordinator Shanna Brown said that the program is available to all residents in need, regardless of year or income.

The University of Regina and the Regina Medical Staff Association (RMSA) have signed a Memorandum of Agreement to explore and pursue joint opportunities. Initiatives include facilitation of experiential learning opportunities for students, collaborations on health-related research, and exploration of the possibility of cross-appointments. The agreement will provide RMSA members access to university facilities and professional development opportunities such as workshops, lectures, and seminars. URegina and RMSA have also committed to sharing resources and mutual recognition of each others’ contributions.