May 21, 2008
The government of BC announced on Friday it will provide $50 million to Genome BC to spearhead a variety of world-class DNA projects essential to the province's people, industries and environment. Genome BC targets research projects in health, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, mining, bio-energy and environment. The research organization brings together international experts from universities, research hospitals, government and industry.
BC News ReleaseBusinessman-turned-philanthropist and University of Manitoba alumnus Marcel A. Desautels has bestowed a $20-million gift on the university's music department, which will be renamed The Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music. The donation will flow into the faculty over the next 5 years. It will support renovations of the east wing and Auditorium of Taché Hall, the new home for the music program under
Project Domino. The money will also create an endowment fund for scholarships and entrance awards for undergraduates, special prizes in performances, graduate fellowships, support for research, and chairs and professorships.
uManitoba NewsToronto Police are investigating a sexual assault that allegedly occurred at dusk last Thursday at York University's bus loop. A female reported being assaulted by an unknown male assailant, whose description matches another assault March 16th. The
National Post cites a police spokesman concerned that "This guy's sick and it's gonna progress to something really bad."
National Post | York News ReleaseBC Premier Gordon Campbell was in Seoul, South Korea on Saturday to help open the Vancouver Film School's new recruitment office in the Asian city, to increase BC's visibility as a PSE destination. "Vancouver Film School is known around the world as a leader in digital design and entertainment arts. This office will help draw more students to our province, and spread the word about the range of education opportunities available in British Columbia.” 50% of the film school's graduates every year come from outside Canada. The school also has recruitment offices in Mumbai, Mexico City and Taipei.
BC News ReleaseLast month, we reported on the University of Manitoba's new physician assistant education program. McMaster University announced this week the creation of a physician assistant program, the first of its kind in Ontario and Canada's first civilian program at the undergraduate level (uManitoba's program is at the graduate level). The full two-year program will begin this September with 20 students. Physician assistants may conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illness, run tests and assist in surgery.
McMaster Daily News CPRN founder Judith Maxwell writes in Monday's
Globe and Mail that the best way to encourage first-generation students is to help them become successful high school students. She cites the example of the
Pathways to Education project in Toronto's Regent Park, which, through mentors, tutors and bursaries, reduced dropout rates and doubled university and college enrolment. Maxwell says the next challenge will be to include support for first-generation students in financial aid, which strongly favours students from middle- and high-income families.
Globe and MailA new report from the Association of Canadian Community Colleges found college, institute and polytechnic students earn a 15.1% annual return on their investment of time and money. The average annual earnings of a student with a 1- to 2-year certificate are 35% more than for someone without a high school diploma or GED, and 12% more than for a student with a high school diploma. The differences were 54% and 29%, respectively, for someone with a 2- to 3-year diploma. The study also reports a 15.9% return to governments on every taxpayer dollar spent.
ACCC News Release |
Read the full reportA new study from the American Council on Education found 92% of college graduates said their education was worth the time and money invested in it, and 78% said they would attend the same institution again. 84% said upon graduation they were effectively prepared with the skills and knowledge they needed. Graduates rated critical thinking, research and communications skills as the most important abilities. 71% said their alma mater's tuition was fair, while 65% said they thought most colleges and universities don't charge a fair price.
Inside Higher Ed |
The Chronicle of Higher Education (subscription required)
American and European business schools are shutting down their executive MBA programs in China due to red tape, problems with local partners and limited demand. Foreign schools must collaborate with a Chinese university and contend with the local education authority and the Education Ministry. The biggest problem is that few Chinese have the language skills to handle an all-English curriculum. Several programs have scaled back or ended their partnerships with Chinese universities in the past two years, and more are expected to follow suit. Despite the cull, the number of Chinese-run business schools has grown, with about 30 universities offering government-authorized eMBA programs.
Business WeekNew US research on the impact of different parenting styles on university-aged children found those whose parents balance encouragement and a firm hand have much better self-esteem and less anxiety than their peers. The study's author says with the uncertain transition period now extending further into adulthood, late adolescents need supportive parenting more than ever. Other studies show today's students are quite happy with the amount of contact they have with their parents.
CanWest News Service
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