September 16, 2024

The Government of Ontario is expanding its efforts to encourage training and work in the skilled trades. ON will expand its Level Up! Career Fairs to Barrie, Cobourg, Cornwall, Kitchener, Niagara Falls, North Bay, and South Porcupine to introduce an additional 35,000 students to in-demand trades careers. These multi-day fairs highlight 144 skilled trades to students in grades 7 to 12. ON is also investing over $26M in the construction of a new training centre at LiUNA 183’s skilled trades campus in Vaughan, which will increase the centre’s training capacity by 50,000 people. Additionally, ON will invest $1.18M into a General Carpentry program for low-income women in Burlington.

The University of the Fraser Valley has officially opened its newly renovated Mission campus. This campus will house the UFV School of Education, bringing the university’s teacher education and early childhood education programs together under one roof, as well as a library, learning commons, and bookable spaces. The renovation process involved Indigenous artists and local community members, resulting in a campus that featurescarvings, symbols, and artwork throughout. “This is part of UFV’s ongoing work to create a culturally safe learning environment that fosters a sense of belonging for Indigenous learners,” said UFV Peace and Reconciliation Centre Director Dr Keith Carlson.

The University of Alberta’s Faculty of Engineering will launch a new undergraduate degree program in mechatronics and robotics. The five-year program will equip students with the skills needed to solve complex problems in product design, manufacturing, and maintenance. It will include 20 months of industry co-op placements, as well as access to a proposed “robotics playground”–a learning lab where students can independently solve interdisciplinary engineering problems. The first cohort will begin specializing in mechatronics and robotics in Fall 2025, after completing a foundational first-year engineering program.

LaSalle College Vancouver and the University of Northern British Columbia have announced a new academic partnership that will facilitate more educational opportunities for students. As part of this partnership, LaSalle and UNBC will establish a pathway agreement wherein students who complete LaSalle’s Associate of Arts degree can transfer their credits and enter the third year of UNBC’s Bachelor of Commerce program with a major in General Business. Additionally, LaSalle will serve as the Vancouver location for UNBC’s Executive Master of Business Administration program starting this Fall. “[W]e can’t wait to share our campus with UNBC’s Executive MBA students,” said LaSalle Vancouver Chief Academic Officer Dr Jamie Kemp. “It’s exciting to think about the collaborative opportunities this will bring.”

York University and the Indigenous Primary Health Care Council (IPHCC) have signed a relationship agreement to advance Indigenous health priorities. Together, YorkU and IPHCC will develop initiatives that use the concept of two-eyed seeing; that is, integrating the strengths of Indigenous and Western ways of knowing for the benefit of all. These joint initiatives may include integrating traditional knowledge into YorkU’s medical education curricula, facilitating student and postgraduate placements at Indigenous primary health-care organizations, and creating the opportunity for students to participate in cultural events and activities in Indigenous communities or hosted by Indigenous organizations.

The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) in Ireland have signed a three-year collaborative agreement focused on internationalization and the student experience. The partnership will involve developing joint programming, identifying student and faculty exchange opportunities, exploring research collaboration opportunities, and sharing information and best practices. “Solidifying our mutual commitment to collaboration through this new partnership with TUS is significant,” said SAIT President Dr David Ross. “The opportunity to exchange information and develop new and engaging education methods in support of student success will be a welcomed initiative among SAIT faculty and staff.”

Western University has temporarily shelved a policy that required protest organizers to obtain authorization from the Director of Campus Safety and Emergency Services before demonstrating. The policy–which was introduced in late August–reportedly received immediate negative feedback from many in the university community who felt that it infringed on their freedom of expression. “Our community is asking for further consultation on these matters, and we are listening,” said Western in an online statement. “Effective today, Western will pause on the Prohibition of Camping policy as well as the procedure related to non-academic events.” The university added that these policy changes will be included in a broader policy review set to take place later this fall.

The British Columbia Institute of Technology, Cambrian College, OCAD University, and Thompson Rivers University have recently opened new labs and training spaces on their campuses. BCIT, in partnership with the Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences, opened the BC Biomanufacturing Training Facility, a first-of-its-kind training facility focused on the biopharmaceutical industry. Cambrian officially opened the Vale Electric Vehicle Lab, which has been named for mining company Vale Base Metals in honour of a $750K contribution made to the lab. OCADU launched a Sustainable Colour Lab, where faculty, staff, and students can experiment with and explore sustainable colour materials such as pigments, dyes, and inks. TRU’s School of Nursing unveiled its mobile health-care training unit, which will bring in-person clinical training to rural communities in BC.

Two recent studies highlight the growing issue of cyberattacks within the education sector. Rhea Kelly of Campus Technology reported on a study by cybersecurity company Netwrix, which found that 77% of surveyed K-12 and higher education institutions had experienced a cyberattack on their infrastructure in the past 12 months, up from 69% in 2023. The most common types of attacks were phishing, user account compromise, and ransomware or malware. Micah Ward of University Business noted similar findings from a study by cybersecurity site Comparitech, which identified an increase in ransomware attacks against K-12 and higher education institutions in 2023 compared to 2022. This study also found that the average cost of a ransomware attack in education was approximately $500K USD per day of downtime and observed that such attacks typically occur in the fall and winter.

St Lawrence College is introducing a Perianesthesia Nursing graduate certificate program this fall to prepare nurses for work in a perianesthesia settings. This one-year, part-time program begins with foundational concepts and progresses through courses that mirror the patient’s journey through the pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative experiences. The curriculum also emphasizes cultural diversity and the care of special populations. The program is open to Registered Nurses and Registered Practical Nurses licensed with the College of Nurses of Ontario or an equivalent body.