“While it is impossible to ‘futureproof’ a board, assessing its strengths and potential vulnerabilities can go a long way toward ensuring that it is prepared for what’s ahead,” write Peter Eckel and Cathy Trower for Inside Higher Ed. The authors note that all boards are different, not only in culture, but in scope of work and level of sophistication; yet there are fundamental best practices that tend to traverse these differences.

Colleges Ontario has launched a new television ad, called “Higher Education for a New World,” this week. The ad focuses on the success of graduates in a variety of career fields, including business, health care, and digital animation. “More than ever, parents and students are looking at postsecondary education to provide students with the professional qualifications and skills that lead to successful careers,” said Colleges Ontario President Linda Franklin.

The strategic mandate agreement (SMA) between Ryerson University and Ontario identifies as the institution’s key areas of differentiation its support for interdisciplinary thinking and innovation; its collaboration with industry, the public, and the non-profit sector; and its distinctive

“The purpose, meaning, and scope of the PhD are changing in response to profound changes in both the academy and society,” according to the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies. To this end, CAGS has released two new documents, one focusing on the PhD dissertation and one focusing on comprehensive examinations. The reports highlight how the growing engagement between university researchers and other societal sectors will require PhD graduates to acquire new competencies for the 21st century.