September 11, 2023

Genome Canada recently established nine new Interdisciplinary Challenge Teams (ICTs), whose projects will drive climate-smart innovation and sustainable solutions in Canada’s agricultural food systems and supply chains. This announcement represents an almost $70M investment, with $27M coming from the Government of Canada and $42M from other funding partners. The ICTs are led by leaders from industry and academia, including Collège La Cité, McMaster University, Queen’s University, Trent University, Université de Montréal, Université Laval, University of Alberta, University of Calgary, University of Guelph, University of Manitoba, University of Saskatchewan, University of the Fraser Valley, and University of Toronto.

Students are continuing to experience challenges finding housing as the semester gets underway. Saint Mary’s University students discussed the difficulty of experiencing homelessness or bouncing from residence to other accommodations, reports CBC, while NSCAD University has reportedly requested advice on housing from a local emergency shelter. At Canadore College, states that a group of between 50 and 100 international students experiencing homelessness have come to an agreement with the college to obtain housing at an affordable rate. The college reportedly promised to find a permanent housing solution for the students within three business days. At Cape Breton University, incoming students were told to secure accommodations before arriving in Canada and the Cape Breton Regional Municipality has reportedly added more bus routes to and from the CBU in an effort to address the increasing population.

The University of Alberta, the University of Regina’s Luther College, and the University of Victoria have each forged work-integrated learning (WIL) partnerships with the Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER). As BHER’s WIL partners, the three postsecondary institutions will support Canada’s transition to a net-zero economy while preparing students for their careers with green skills. The partnerships will enable the development of community-engaged projects focused on the net-zero transition with 150 small- and medium-sized companies and not-for-profits. They will also create climate-focused collaboration opportunities with local businesses and organizations for over 1,100 students.

The RCMP is appealing to the public for information about the alleged historical sexual assaults that took place at Université Saint-Anne. The RCMP released a statement indicating that they recently became aware of allegations that more than 50 incidents of sexual assault had occurred on campus between 2015 and 2019. They are encouraging survivors, witnesses, or anyone with information to discuss the matter further with the Meteghan RCMP. Speaking to Global Bews, RCMP Cpl Chris Marshall clarified that they became aware of these allegations because of the SA Change Now online campaign. USainte-Anne spokesperson Rachelle LeBlanc added that the university fully supports the RCMP’s appeal for information.

Instructors should strive to abolish cheating rather than spending their energy on policing students, writes Jordan Alexander Stein of the . Stein writes that policies and “familiar” solutions to cheating emphasize enforcement and do not address the issues that lead to cheating, which often include not having enough time, being poorly prepared to complete the work, and the learning loss associated with the COVID-19. The author encourages instructors to instead abolish cheating by using strategies that reward the work process rather than the outcome, such as making clear why students are learning what they are learning, drawing on transparent design techniques, and using labour-based grading.

The Government of Ontario has announced the creation of an additional 110 French-language teacher education spaces at the University of Ottawa and Université de l’Ontario Français for the 2023-24 academic year. UOttawa will hold 70 of these spaces and UOF will hold 40. This move intends to address the French teacher shortages in Toronto and Eastern Ontario, and the province hopes that the added spaces will provide students with more choice and increased access to high-quality French-language postsecondary education.

The University of New Brunswick will receive a $3M investment from International Game Technology PLC (IGT) to bolster research and teaching in game design, AI, and data science. This investment is part of a five-year partnership between UNB and IGT and will support the development of new faculty positions, scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students, and gaming-related experiential education opportunities. “IGT’s investment in innovation will help UNB and the McKenna Institute establish New Brunswick as a national center for design in regulated gaming technologies,” said UNB President Paul Mazerolle. “It will provide our students with increased opportunities to use AI and data science to develop knowledge and skills in a field that is in high demand.”

A group of staff at Concordia University have launched a petition against the requirement to complete four on-campus days of work each week. Last week, almost 600 Concordia employees signed a petition that called for a “fair and flexible hybrid work model” that would include a guide for how much on-site work needs to be performed. Concordia spokesperson Vannina Maestracci said that the decision was made based on the desire to foster a vibrant campus experience for students, equity between staff members and faculties, “as well as ensuring that service to the community, particularly students, is not affected by remote work.”

Lakehead University, Couchiching Ontario Health Team (OHT), and Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital (OSMH) have struck a partnership that will improve healthcare access for Lakehead Orillia campus students. Starting this September, a nurse practitioner will be on campus once per week to see students who do not have a primary care provider. The agreement will also allow students to receive care from the Couchiching OHT Care Clinic located at OSMH. “Knowing where and when to access healthcare services can be a significant stressor for students, particularly those attending from out of country,” said Lakehead Director of Student Health and Wellness Cheryl D’Angelo. “This unique partnership is welcomed by students and their families.”

Saskatchewan Polytechnic has announced that starting in 2024, it will offer several dual credit business courses. The courses will enable students to earn both high school credits and credits at Sask Polytech. This initiative will potentially reduce tuition fees and the time needed to complete a postsecondary credential, while also helping students to develop their learning time management skills. “These dual credit courses will allow high school students to explore potential career paths before enrolling in a full-time program and potentially offer a head start on their higher education journey in business,” said Sask Polytech School of Business Acting Associate Dean Kirsten Downey.