Top Ten
August 3, 2016
MUN medical school launches $5M fundraising campaign
Memorial University’s Faculty of Medicine hopes to raise $5M in a new campaign called Building a Healthy Tomorrow. The fundraising initiative seeks to boost financial support for students, enable the purchase of new training equipment for the Clinical Learning and Simulation Centre, and broaden medical research in areas pertinent to Newfoundland and Labrador. “There are so many future physicians and researchers out there just like me, but they don’t have the means to attend medical school,” explained MUN student Desmond Whalen. “Like me, they want to give back to our province. This campaign will help them to accomplish that.” The medical school has reportedly already raised more than $3.2M from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The Telegram | MUN | CBC
Universities ideally positioned to respond to global challenges, says UVic president
There’s good reason to be optimistic in a time of crises and conflicts, writes University of Victoria president Jamie Cassels, “and it starts with Canadian universities.” He points to how Universities Canada has committed universities to improving Canada through a number of initiatives, including putting the country’s best minds to the most pressing problems. “For hundreds of years, universities have been contributing to the development of society through social and technological innovation, constantly changing and adapting to meet the needs of the students, employers and societies we serve,” Cassels writes. “As a result, universities are perfectly positioned to respond to the rapid pace of change and the global challenges of today.” Vancouver Sun
uSherbrooke commits to sustainability through budget
In a decision that is reportedly the first of its kind in Canada, Université of Sherbrooke has decided to integrate its carbon footprint into its budget and steering committee, with the goal of significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. uSherbrooke Vice-rector Alain Webster described the institution’s three campuses as “laboratories for sustainable development,” further commenting that the institution aims to prove that going green is both desirable and possible. Eventually, Webster states that the institution would like to demonstrate that – with its 40,000 students and 7,000 staff – uSherbrooke can operate with a reduced environmental impact. Journal Métro
Lethbridge brings construction basis training to NWT
Lethbridge College’s Corporate and Continuing Education department recently completed its first-ever specialized training session in the Northwest Territories. Lethbridge was selected to deliver mandated pre-employment Construction Basis training to 14 local Aboriginal workers on behalf of a construction company preparing for a project in Inuvik. “This experience demonstrates that we are able to develop and deliver training solutions to meet the needs of our customers quickly, professionally and anywhere,” said John Jacobson, Lethbridge Director of Corporate and Continuing Education. Lethbridge | Lethbridge Herald
Evaluating the university press in the 21st century
“How do you evaluate a university press in the 21st century?” writes Carl Straumsheim for Inside Higher Ed. Straumsheim reflects on the difficulties faced by many presses in the US in the face of sector change, and discusses the difficulties of evaluating a press's success by financial success, scholarly impact, or press-to-press comparisons. Straumsheim then goes on to discuss how publishers are attempting to manage the changing sector demands and reimagine the publishing business in light of these changes. Inside Higher Ed
uCalgary receives grant to digitize EMI Music Canada Archive
The University of Calgary has received a $275K grant from The Andrew W Mellon Foundation to design effective methods for reformatting, preserving, and administering access to the recordings included in the EMI Music Canada Archive. uCalgary explains that the files will be digitized and placed online to broaden access to these recordings. Donald J Waters, senior program officer at The Andrew W Mellon Foundation, commented that “our hope is that the operational design and methodologies developed at Calgary for such an extensive project will provide an effective model for addressing similar challenges at other libraries, archives and museums.” uCalgary
Institutional middle management not receiving enough training, says UK study
A recent study of UK universities in Higher Education Policy has found that many universities are relying too much on “accidental” leadership training for departmental leaders, rather than providing formal training. While the student body has received increasing consideration, report author Alan Floyd notes that “this is far from the case for academics who are asked to take on middle management roles.” Floyd concludes the report by stating that if “good leaders are essential for the future success” of our institutions, then institutions must “provide more time, support and training for today’s academic middle managers.” Times Higher Education
uAlberta’s TEC Edmonton and TELUS launch startup accelerator
TEC Edmonton, a joint venture between the University of Alberta and the City of Edmonton, has partnered with TELUS to launch the T-Squared Accelerator program. This program will provide early-stage Information and Communications Technology companies with seed funding, as well as 12 months of incubation space and support, in order to help them advance their businesses. The combined support from TELUS and TEC Edmonton “will grant them tremendous growth opportunities, which in turn benefits our region's economy and startup industry," said TEC Edmonton CEO Chris Lumb. Globe and Mail
Canada a popular alternative to Britain for international students, study says
A new study claims that 41% of surveyed students from outside the UK are less likely to study in Britain after the Brexit referendum, reports Times Higher Education, while Canada poses a popular alternative for international study. The students listed a number of concerns with the UK in light of the referendum that made it less attractive. When asked about alternative study destinations, The Independent reports that as many as 32% stated that they would choose Canada as an alternative study destination, followed by Germany, Australia, and the US. The Chronicle of Higher Education observes that the US could also see difficulties in international recruitment as a result of the upcoming American election, and notes that "Canada could be the biggest winner" when it comes to recruitment. The Independent | Times Higher Education | Chronicle of Higher Education
BC organizations, schools working to encourage female business leaders
In response to the gender inequality noted in a recent Statistics Canada survey of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), organizations in the Surrey and Metro Vancouver area are working to break down industry stereotypes and encourage women to become business leaders. The article notes that the University of British Columbia’s Computer Science program for undergraduates and Simon Fraser University’s School of Computing Science have both seen an increase in female enrollment in recent years. SFU Faculty of Applied Sciences Dean Pro Tem Uwe Glaesser commented that “it’s important to encourage diversity, and applied sciences is activating programs at several levels aimed at improving the gender balance in our programs.” Business in Vancouver
