Top Ten
June 22, 2011
Ontario announces capital funding for McMaster, Fleming, Sault College
The Ontario government continued with its capital investments in provincial post-secondary schools yesterday, announcing $45.5 million for McMaster University's new Wilson Building for Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences. The province also pledged $29.3 million for Fleming College's Kawartha Skilled Trades Institute, as well as $4 million for the Student Health and Wellness Centre at Sault College. Ontario News Release (McMaster) | Ontario News Release (Fleming) | Ontario News Release (Sault College)
$5-million donation funds Azrieli Institute for Israel Studies at Concordia
The Azrieli Foundation announced yesterday a $5-million gift to Concordia University to establish Canada's first academic institute for the study of Israel. The Azrieli Institute for Israel Studies will function on a multidisciplinary model, inviting proposals and researchers from a wide variety of disciplines, such as history, languages, economics, and sociology. Concordia News Release | Globe and Mail | Montreal Gazette
York U business school launches new research chair with $2-million donation
Yesterday the Certified General Accountants of Ontario announced a $2-million gift to York University's Schulich School of Business to support the creation of an endowed academic chair focusing on global competitiveness for small- and medium-sized enterprises. Schulich's dean says the chair will conduct intensive research into the success factors, as well as the challenges, currently affecting the internationalization of small-to-medium-sized enterprises. Schulich News Release
$1-million gift supports Laurentian Indigenous Sharing and Learning Centre
During Laurentian University's National Aboriginal Day celebrations Tuesday, Xstrata Nickel announced a $1-million donation toward the creation of the Indigenous Sharing and Learning Centre at the institution. Designed in consultation with Aboriginal leaders, the centre will provide the tools for individual and collective self-determination, while fostering partnerships, celebrating and nurturing diversity, and enhancing access for indigenous students. Laurentian News Release
Canada urged to revamp Youth Employment Strategy
With Canada's younger workers still struggling with stubbornly high joblessness 2 years into the economic recovery, there are growing calls for the federal government to overhaul its 14-year-old Youth Employment Strategy to help younger workers prepare for the labour market. The president of Youth Employment Services is pushing for a more robust national strategy that better connects PSE to the shifting needs of the labour market, as well as debt relief for student loans and more subsidies or tax incentives for employers to hire young workers. The director of employment programs at the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa wants more guidance counselling so youth have a clearer idea of what jobs will be in demand, including the trades. Globe and Mail
New name for environmental school at Selkirk College
The environmental curriculum renewal process at BC-based Selkirk College includes a new name for the School of Renewable Resources, now called the School of Environment and Geomatics. A Selkirk official says the name change reflects the increasing workforce demands in the environmental and geomatics sectors. An EcoCanada report released last year estimates there will be 100,000 job vacancies in the environmental sector over the next decade. Selkirk College News
Canada-India Education Summit delegates outline steps to further collaboration
At the Canada-India Education Summit at Carleton University last week, delegates proposed a number of steps to enhance collaboration. They include collecting among Canadian universities information on programs, faculties, universities, colleges, or Indian Institutes of Technology already approved for credit transfer by each school so this can be shared to eliminate, or at least reduce, the need to complete research on every program for which credit transfer is sought; considering not credits but content and hours of lecture as well as students' ability to succeed in the program for which credit transfer is sought; seeking exchanges that will enhance the strengths of 2 institutions; and finding means to support the travel of students and faculty who cannot afford it. Carleton News Release
UBCO joins Canada West
The University of British Columbia's Okanagan campus will now compete at the highest level of interuniversity sport in the country. Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) has approved a membership application for UBCO's men's and women's volleyball and basketball teams. The teams were accepted into the Canada West Universities Athletics Association last month, pending this approval by CIS. UBCO has been officially welcomed as the 52nd CIS member institution, effective September 2011. UBCO News Release
Ivey case studies available on iBookstore
The University of Western Ontario's Richard Ivey School of Business is the first publisher to make business case studies available on Apple's iBookstore. More than 500 cases from Ivey's inventory are now available to download for $3.99 each, with newer cases to be added regularly. Articles from the Ivey Business Journal will also be available through the iBookstore. Ivey News Release
uCalgary Student Success Centre develops mobile app
The University of Calgary's Student Success Centre (SSC) has released a new custom mobile application, with which students can read recent news; register for workshops or seminars; book appointments with advisers, writing tutors, career and academic development specialists; and access the SSC events calendar. The application is available for iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry Torch devices. uCalgary SSC News
