September 2, 2025

Providence University College and Theological Seminary is celebrating 100 years with its Centennial Celebration next weekend with concerts, a petting zoo on campus, a celebratory flyover by longtime aviation partner Harv’s Air, and more. “We really want the greater community to come out and be part of the events,” said Providence Director of Marketing Kathryn Mulolani. “The festival is not only for students, friends, and alumni but for the surrounding community in southern Manitoba because they have supported us so well throughout the years.” CBC reports that the institution has kicked off a $20M campaign that will support renovations and the expansion of its non-denominational seminary. Looking to the future, the institution is reportedly working to become a provincially recognized university under the Government of Manitoba’s Advanced Education Administration Act.

Education Accord NL—co-chaired by Dr Anne Burke and Dr Karen Goodnough of Memorial University— has released its final report, which offers a roadmap for the transformation and modernization of Newfoundland and Labrador’s education system. The report includes 110 calls for transformation across the pillars of early childhood, K-12, postsecondary, and lifelong learning. It encourages the development of a system that supports the learner journey continuously through these pillars. In a statement, Memorial President Janet Morrison commended the accord for their work and expressed her agreement with the focus on learners and transitions throughout the learning journey.

Laurentian University has finalized a deal to sell several properties to the province of Ontario. The university plans to use the proceeds—$53.5M from the sales—to pay creditors. Properties include the East Residence building, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine building, the land the Willet Green Miller Centre is on, a security and maintenance building, and select parking lots. “The completion of the sale of real estate assets to the Province is a critical step in enabling Laurentian University to complete the requirements of the CCAA [Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act] process,” said Laurentian President Lynn Wells. “[W]e will be able to execute the final steps in the process and begin a new chapter in December 2025.”

The 2025 Return on Education (ROE) Index published by CourseCompare ranks the 20 most popular diplomas and degrees offered by Canadian postsecondary institutions according to how quickly they deliver a return on investment to students. Looking at the 10 most popular diplomas, the report states that graduates typically broke even in just over five years, with programs in the trades and healthcare delivering the strongest, most reliable returns. Among the 10 most popular bachelor’s degrees, graduates typically took over eight years to break even, with the strongest returns seen in select STEM and healthcare programs. The authors note that despite the clear, measurable returns of the programs in the index, public perceptions of the value of PSE are generally uncertain.

Saskatchewan Polytechnic is launching a $2M reintegration project funded by Global Affairs Canada that will support women veterans in Ukraine. The Women Veteran Reintegration in Ukraine Project will be carried out in collaboration with the Women’s Information Consultative Center, Ukraine’s Ministry of Veteran Affairs, and Ukraine’s State Economic Service. This five-year project will include targeted employment programs, entrepreneurship training, and psychosocial support to ease the transition to civilian life. Sask Polytech will lead instructor training development; create educational resources, trainer handbooks, and assessment tools; and help with policy creation.

Brock University’s Sport Management program has partnered with the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee to strengthen sports governance and offer new opportunities to researchers, athletes, and sport leaders. Through this five-year memorandum of understanding, Brock and the committee will deliver specialized training on safe sport practices, governance, and human resource management, and collaborate on a research project examining governance in Zimbabwe’s regional sport system. “This partnership brings [the committee] access to Brock’s research expertise and training resources that can strengthen sport governance in Zimbabwe,” said Brock Associate Professor of Sport Management Shannon Kerwin. “For Brock, it’s an opportunity to learn from the lived realities of sport in a decolonial context and to engage with leaders shaping sport on the international stage.”

The College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba (CRNM) has announced that it is modernizing licensing and training pathways to address staffing challenges from within the province. The changes come after the college conducted a survey that found that nurses and the general public viewed addressing workplace conditions, enhancing supports, and increasing the number of training seats as the top three measures to be taken to address nurse staffing challenges. The college’s new pathways will make it easier for applicants from other provinces and internationally educated nurses (IENs) to join the MB healthcare system, reports the Winnipeg Sun. Looking to the future, the college is exploring expanded mentorship and on-the-job training programs, as well as the development of a comprehensive registration pathway for IENs.

Georgian College and Yukon University have each launched micro-credentials. Georgian’s Greenhouse Practices and Operational Fundamentals micro-credential will teach students about greenhouse operations. Students will complete in-person learning at the Rama Maawnjiydiwag Gtigaan (Rama Community Farm), where they will build their knowledge in plant sciences, integrated pest management, sustainable production systems, and food safety in the greenhouse setting. YukonU has collaborated with the Government of Yukon to offer a four-part micro-credential for educational assistants. These workshops will cover topics such as the role of educational assistants, students with complex needs, individualized education plans, and communications and teamwork.

Inside Higher Ed has released the results of its newest survey on generative AI use by students. The survey of 1,047 students revealed that while most students used AI, schools needed to ensure that their policies were evolving with the technology. Overall, 97% of students agreed that institutions must react to the use of AI for cheating, but through methods like creating clear AI use policies or using techniques like oral exams or in-class essays to limit possibilities for cheating, and not through verification software or banning technology in the classroom. Students also had mixed beliefs on how AI was impacting their learning, with 55% saying that it has both helped and hindered their critical thinking skills. For 18% of students, the technology has brought into question the value of postsecondary education itself.

McMaster University Student Margaret Qin has organized a street festival in downtown Hamilton to welcome students to the city street and help them learn what the downtown offers. The festival—King William West Fest—includes live music and performances by McMaster students and others, local vendors, and discounts at nearby businesses. Qin shared that the idea grew from an Urban Innovation and Policy course that focused on community engagement and urban planning in Hamilton. She hopes that organizing the festival around McMaster’s Welcome Week will help draw students to the downtown and shift the narrative amidst concerns around crime and safety in the city.