September 11, 2025

The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education has released the 2025 Sustainable Campus Index, which celebrates postsecondary institutions from around the world for their innovation and performance with respect to environmental sustainability. Canada had the highest average scores in the index, with numerous institutions securing a top position for individual sustainability factors. Université de Sherbrooke was recognized as the top institution from Canada. In the rankings by institution type, Canadore College and Dawson College secured the top position for Association & Short-Cycle Institutions, Thompson Rivers University led the Master’s Institutions, and USherbrooke led the Doctoral/Research Institutions.

The University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law has received an $80M donation from former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario Henry N R Jackman. The faculty—now named the Henry N R Jackman Faculty of Law in honour of Jackman—plans to use the donation for several initiatives, including the Jackman Scholarship Fund, a Dean’s Strategic Initiatives Fund, expanding the faculty’s Future of Law lab, and the creation of four new chairs. “[The donation] will expand support for our talented students, enable groundbreaking national and international collaborations, and create new chairs in pivotal fields of law, ultimately securing our place among the world’s best and most forward-thinking law schools,” said U of T Law Dean Jutta Brunnée.

A joint statement by the Canadian Medical Association, the provincial and territorial medical associations, the Association of Faculties of Medicine, and others attempts to address common health misinformation issues. The statement points to the growing trend of “clearly false health information” being normalized and emphasizes the harm it does to the public, communities, and general health policy. The co-signatories assert that they are standing in solidarity with global clinical and scientific entities against the politicization and normalization of health misinformation, and against the undermining of the body of evidence used to inform clinical and health policy decisions.

A 224-bed long-term care home is now under construction on Trent University’s Symons Campus. The care home was funded in part by the provincial Construction Funding Subsidy, which is designed to encourage the building and expansion of long-term care facilities in the province. Built and operated by peopleCare Communities, the care home will host researchers and offer placement opportunities to more than 90 students across several programs. Trent and peopleCare also plan to collaborate on research and innovation, with the “intent to spread and scale innovation throughout the LTC sector and the broader healthcare system.”

Concordia University has launched a Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical Engineering program that focuses on sustainable and green engineering. The program covers topics such as AI, biotechnology, and sustainable process design and includes applied learning opportunities through hands-on labs, technical projects, and paid work-integrated learning components. “This is a new chapter for our department,” said Concordia Professor Alex De Visscher. “Students will graduate ready to support Quebec’s energy transition, the battery supply chain, and the push for carbon neutrality.”

Mount Saint Vincent University has become an institutional member of the Royal Society of Canada. As a member, the university will be included in national discussions on research and scholarship in Canada. “Becoming a member of the Royal Society of Canada is recognition of the transformative impact of research and scholarship,” said MSVU AVP of Research Dr Jacquie Gahagan. “It connects our university’s brightest minds to a national network of excellence, amplifying their contributions to society and inspiring future generations of researchers.”

Loyalist College has launched four new programs in the fields of health and energy. The programs—starting this October—are the Addictions and Mental Health graduate certificate program, Community Pharmacy Assistant certificate program, Mental Health and Addictions Worker diploma program, and Renewable Energy Systems graduate certificate program. Loyalist President Mark Kirkpatrick said that these programs were chosen to support high-demand fields in Ontario, like health care and renewable energy. Students in all four programs will benefit from applied learning components to ensure that they develop the skills they need for the workforce.

In an article for The Conversation, authors Megan Ames (University of Victoria) and Carly McMorris (University of Calgary) explore the increasing prevalence of autistic students in postsecondary education and how best to support them. The authors note that low disclosure rates and barriers to accessing a formal diagnosis often impede autistic students from accessing the accommodations they need to thrive. They further point to research that suggests that there is a need for more autism-specific services and policies at Canadian postsecondary institutions. Ames and McMorris encourage institutions to expand their dedicated services for neurodiverse students and offer neurodiversity training for faculty and staff.

Université du Québec à Montréal’s Observatoire de la consommation responsable and its GreenUXlab have partnered with Laval économique, RONA, and Les Produits du Québec to pilot an innovative retail model. The model—a living laboratory in RONA’s parking lot where customers can buy seasonal essentials—will test a variety of commercial technological solutions in a real-world setting. Laval merchants are invited to test the technologies and gather ideas for their own stores. Insights from the project will inform future strategies for commercial renewal across the city.

Dalhousie University’s Board of Governors and the Dalhousie Faculty Association (DFA) resumed discussions with a provincially-appointed conciliator on Monday, who directed the parties back to the bargaining table on Tuesday. 101.5 The Hawk and CTV News report that the conciliator ended the Tuesday meeting at 4 PM, with no further conciliation dates scheduled. The union agreement expired at the end of June and faculty have been locked out since late August. City News reports that the Dalhousie Student Union (DSU) is holding a rally to call for tuition refunds.