Top Ten
February 27, 2012
Conestoga joins Brantford's "academic district"
The presidents of Conestoga College and Wilfrid Laurier University announced yesterday that the college will start offering business programming in downtown Brantford in September. The programs include a 2-year business diploma and a one-year post-graduate certificate in Human Resources Management, with plans to offer additional programs in the areas of business, community service, health, and media in the future. Conestoga joins WLU, Mohawk College, and Nipissing University in downtown Brantford, enhancing the developing "academic district" and further providing opportunities for higher education. "The presence of Conestoga College will not only enhance the post-secondary opportunities to our citizens and our ability to attract and retain businesses, but also contributes to showcasing Brantford as a Centre of Excellence," says Brantford's mayor. WLU/Conestoga News Release
uOttawa to build $55-million photonics facility
The University of Ottawa's new $55-million centre for advanced photonics and environmental assessment, for which ground-breaking is slated to begin next month, is expected to attract students and researchers from across the globe and be operational by the end of 2013, says uOttawa president Allan Rock. This initiative, along with a forthcoming brain and mind institute and a planned School of Government, are not expected to significantly increase the size of the student body, which has grown rapidly in recent years to the point that Rock says the institution must begin curtailing its growth. Approximately 8,000 students graduate from uOttawa each year, but over the last 5 years the institution has simultaneously admitted an average of 9,250 to 9,500 new students -- a number that will be limited to 8,500 in future years, says Rock. Ottawa Business Journal
Canadore opens Integrated Media Centre
On Friday, Canadore College celebrated the opening of its Integrated Media Centre, one of the most advanced digital production studios in Ontario. The 2,000-square-foot media hub provides an advanced digital platform for existing programs -- such as advertising, broadcasting, graphic design, and mobile application development -- as well as a technology base for new program development to meet industry needs. "The idea behind the Media Centre is to provide a space where students across programs can work and learn from each other," says Canadore's dean of media, design and dramatic arts. "By creating this type of collaborative learning environment, students will learn different disciplines that will prepare them for digital careers across the globe." Canadore News Release
Niagara College launches South Niagara Health and Wellness Centre
Located on-site at Niagara College's Applied Health Institute at the Welland campus, the new South Niagara Health and Wellness centre is home to a stroke clinic, day services for physically frail seniors, and a medical foot clinic for diabetics or at-risk seniors. The centre will later house a geriatric assessment clinic. The clinics offer vocational opportunities for students in Niagara College's Health and Community Services programs. Students have the chance to work with and learn from professionals for clinical placements, workshops, or information sessions with clients. Niagara College News Release
uLaval administrative sciences faculty receives $1-million gift
Université Laval announced Friday a $1-million donation from businessman and philanthropist Pierre H. Lessard in support of the university's Faculty of Administrative Sciences. In recogntion of the alumnus' donation, uLaval will name the atrium in the Palasis-Prince building the Atrium Pierre-H.-Lessard. The gift will support the construction of the Centre FSA-Banque Nationale, which will integrate in one location services for management training and leadership, career management, collaborative research, and business development. uLaval News Release (in French)
$1-million donation supports Mount Royal's Scholars Program
Mount Royal University recently announced that Nexen Inc. has pledged $1 million, over 5 years, to the newly named Nexen Scholars Program at the institution. The first of its kind in Canada -- and a signature program of Mount Royal's Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning -- the Nexen Scholars Program attracts faculty from across North America who are dedicated to building and sharing pedagogical knowledge, advancing PSE teaching, and enhancing student learning beyond the classroom. Nexen's donation supports the faculty's course-based research that leads to the development of new best practices for teaching and learning. Mount Royal News Release
Dal promotes Corporate Residency MBA in new animated video
Out of a desire to tell the story of its Corporate Residency MBA differently than had been done when the program launched in 2009, Dalhousie University has released a 90-second animated video showcasing the MBA's uniqueness. A 15-second teaser ad airing on TV leads viewers to the program's homepage where the full video outlines the features of the MBA, such as the 8-month residency with a high-profile employer. The video notes that 80% of students are offered jobs upon graduation and 90% are employed within 6 months of graduating. The 90-second version received more than 2,700 views on YouTube in the first 48 hours. Dal News
JIBC eligible for SSHRC funding
The Justice Institute of British Columbia is now eligible to administer funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Researchers at the institution can now apply for funding from the more than $300 million in grants and scholarships SSHRC awards annually. The SSHRC eligibility follows last year's approval for JIBC to apply for and receive funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. JIBC News Release
1/5 university grads in Europe overqualified for their jobs, report finds
University graduates can find jobs twice as fast as individuals with no degrees, observes a new report that analyzes education data from 37 systems in Europe. The report highlights trends across the elementary, secondary, and post-secondary sector, such as the growing autonomy of education systems throughout the continent from direct government oversight. Although more Europeans now have university degrees, the report states that one in 5 graduates appear to be overqualified for their jobs. The report notes that a rising number of nations have implemented tuition fees for students, but says that simultaneous introduction of student aid and other support programs has softened the effects of the new charges. As a result, grants and loans for students "are a major strand of public expenditure on education and account for more than 16.7%," the report says. The Chronicle of Higher Education (free access) | Read the report
Beijing aims to attract 180,000 international students in 2020
According to the Beijing Municipal Education Commission, the Chinese capital plans to attract over 180,000 exchange students in 2020, an increase of 112% over the current figure. A plan recently issued by the commission aims to examine a new way to administer exchange students and provide better services for students wishing to study in Beijing in the coming years. As per the plan, the city will boost international enrolment in the next 9 years, promote co-operation between schools in Beijing and abroad, and offer more summer and winter educational programs for international students. Official data indicate that 81 universities in Beijing hosted exchange students from 184 nations last year. Xinhuanet
