Niagara College has launched an Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) degree program. The four-year program follows an approach that emphasizes human responses in health and illness. Students will receive training in critical thinking, emotional intelligence, problem solving, and communication and have hands-on learning opportunities in labs and placements. “The Niagara College BScN program was designed with student success and competent, compassionate patient care in mind,” said Niagara Professor Tracey L Davey. “A carefully planned combination of laboratory, simulation and clinical experience, along with a clear focus on nursing’s professional standards prepares graduates for an exciting career.” The program will begin in Fall 2024.
Top Ten News
September 1, 2023
The University of Manitoba’s Asper School of Business has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Norway House Cree Nation and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc (MKO). The MOU focuses on reconciliation through business education and outlines a variety of joint programs and initiatives that create employment opportunities, support Northern First Nations learners in economic development and entrepreneurship, foster connections, and integrate more First Nations-specific training and topics into the Asper curriculum. “This MOU will lay the groundwork for a better path forward for the future of our youth and will provide opportunities that will ensure their personal and personal success for them and their families,” said Chief Larson Anderson of Norway House.
The University of King’s College and Dalhousie University are celebrating the 100th anniversary of their educational partnership and formal association with one another. Dal President Kim Brooks and UKing’s College President William Lahey issued a joint statement reflecting on the successes the institutions have shared over the years. “The association that binds the two universities has evolved to reflect the changing needs of our communities, but fundamentally it is about collaborating to enhance the experience each university offers to students,” state Brooks and Lahey. The universities will host special events over the next year to celebrate 100 years of collaboration.
In an interview, Government of Canada immigration minister Marc Miller stated that the country is set to increase its international student population to 900,000 this academic year. Miller reflected on the pressure international student growth has had on areas like housing, but asserted that the housing crunch cannot be pinned “on any particular segment of the population[:] It would not only be intellectually lazy but also false.” Given the fiscal impact of the international student population, Miller emphasized the importance of ensuring the “integrity of the system. “[There is] some fraud, some people taking advantage of what is seen to be a back door entry into Canada,” said Miller, later adding: “What we don’t want to see is hopes dashed based on a false promise.”
The University of New Brunswick’s Learn Where You Live program is now offering virtual registered nursing certification training for licensed practical nurses (LPNs) in the Miramichi and Moncton regions. The program uses a virtual, augmented reality learning technology called Spectral. Horizon Health Network and New Brunswick Community College will offer onsite clinical education to the participating LPNs. The program is supported with up to $487K from the Government of New Brunswick. “Flexibility while studying is important to many students, and we are confident by expanding local possibilities, more will be able to choose a career in nursing,” said NB Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Arlene Dunn.
The University of Winnipeg has opened the Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, which will support critical neuroscience research and training. The centre will examine the neural mechanisms underlying youth literacy, numeracy, and learning processes, as well as supporting medically relevant research with different clinical populations. “The Centre itself is unique to Manitoba,” said UWinnipeg faculty and centre co-founders Dr Stephanie Bugden, Dr Amy Desroches, and Dr Stephen Smith. “We’re the only institution in the province that has this infrastructure and the capacity to study all three brain elements.” The centre will be purchasing new research tools, such as an MRI simulator and portable EEG machine, with the recently announced federal funding.
In the city of Kingston, police have implemented the University District Safety Initiative (UDSI) to discourage large, unsanctioned gatherings. The initiative will remain in effect until September 10th with the purpose of educating community members, reducing the strain on emergency services, and decreasing dangerous behaviours and disruptions to traffic. Under UDSI, officers can give fines of up to $2K for nuisance parties or mandatory court dates. “It’s an exciting time of year in Kingston as post-secondary students return to the community,” said Acting Chief of Kingston Police Scott Fraser. “We’d like to encourage everyone to act responsibly when participating in back-to-school events, and to be aware of the risks associated with large unsanctioned gatherings.”
Memorial University will be launching the Community Hubs Project, which brings technology-enabled spaces to communities across the province. The original iteration of the project”the Community Hubs Program”was developed at Memorial’s Grenfell campus as a response to the need for access to technology during COVID-19 lockdowns; further consultation revealed the ongoing need for these hubs in rural, remote, and northern areas of Newfoundland and Labrador. Memorial has collaborated with communities to create community hubs in existing structures, such as libraries and Community Business Development Corporation branches. Each hub provides access to resources such as high-speed internet, technology, and programming support. Memorial will also use these spaces to offer continuing education offerings and community-based engagements.
British Columbia’s Wildfire Service (BCWS) will lose hundreds of wildland firefighters with the beginning of the academic year, reports . BCWS fire information officer Donna MacPherson said that this transition is an annual occurrence, as postsecondary students typically make up about 20-30% of its auxiliary staff. MacPherson said that BCWS does not interfere with students’ plans to go back to school, but that some students may choose to extend their stay and request a letter for the registrar of their school to facilitate a longer term with the service.
The Université de Saint-Boniface faculty association is urging its professors to ratify a new contract when they vote on the tentatively-struck deal next Tuesday, reports the . Université de Saint-Boniface and the Association of Professors and Professionals of l’USB landed on a tentative deal that includes an annual 2% raise over four years for full-time members. The new deal also reportedly includes an increase of $830 per course load for lecturers and a $500 signing bonus for tenured and tenure-track members. The agreement was reached with the aid of an independent mediator.