Top Ten
February 21, 2017
Montreal must build on success to recruit top talent: McGill principal
Montreal has much to celebrate in being recently named the top city in the world for students, writes McGill University Principal Suzanne Fortier, but the city and its institutions still have much work to do to make the most of “an unprecedented opportunity to fulfill the potential of Montreal to draw talent from around the world.” Fortier highlights an aging domestic population as one of the most urgent reasons why Montreal needs to attract more immigration. The McGill principal adds that the city will also need to attract the world’s very best talent in order to maintain a vital society and strong workforce. “However, despite our city’s considerable attractions,” Fortier notes, “despite the clear benefits that international talent brings, Montreal and Quebec have room to improve.” The author offers a number of options to help Montreal move forward, which include the creation of a coordinated talent recruitment and retention strategy. Montreal Gazette | McGill
YorkU to see $113M investment in campus infrastructure
York University is poised to benefit from a combined investment of $113M from Canada, Ontario, and the university itself. A YorkU release states that the funds will be used to modernize labs in the Faculties of Science and Health, create a new building for the Schulich School of Business, and boost energy-efficient cooling and power for 85 buildings at the university’s Keele Campus. The Canadian government is slated to provide $40.8M through its Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund, while the Ontario government will provide $6.6M. YorkU will invest additional funds of more than $65M to bring the total funding to $113M. “This funding will ensure that our researchers, faculty and students have the resources they need to conduct cutting-edge research that will position Canada as a leader in science, health and business innovation,” said YorkU President Mamdouh Shoukri. YorkU
La Cité joins world’s largest network of francophone postsecondary institutions
La Cité has announced that it has joined the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie as an associate member. The Agency is reportedly the largest network of francophone postsecondary institutions in the world, bringing together more than 800 academic institutions in more than 100 countries. Under this agreement, students, teachers and researchers at La Cité have access to a wide range of services and resources. In addition to pursuing higher education in French, students will have access to a mobility grant enabling them to pursue part of their studies abroad in a member institution of the AUF and to access teaching resources and scientific studies, among other advantages. La Cité
“Parental bridging” among top reasons why US higher ed is not a social equalizer
A new US-based study suggests that PSE might not be the economic equalizer that many believe it to be, reports Inside Higher Ed. After controlling for a number of factors, including the competitiveness of the college attended, the study found that the economic impact of college—in postgraduation wages—is strongly tied to the incomes of students' families, with students from wealthier families earning more than others. Study co-author Dirk Witteveen says that he believes the advantages of wealthier families pay off when parents assist their children in post-graduation job searches, noting that when “parents are better connected, they may set their children up in cities with jobs. They may be people like those doing the hiring. These are all circumstantial class-related resources.” Witteveen refers to these advantages as examples of “parental bridging.” Inside Higher Ed
Georgian makes moves to offset $8.6M shortfall, balance budget
Georgian College has announced that it will implement a series of operational decisions designed to balance its budget. The Barrie Examiner reports that these decisions include laying off administrators, reassigning teaching faculty, and selling the school’s Kempenfelt Conference Centre to help make up for an $8.6M shortfall in the now-balanced budget of roughly $195M. “We've made good decisions to sustain our future,” said Georgian President MaryLynn West-Moynes. “There are a number of moving parts in this, but one of the things that we wanted to do in this structure change was flatten the organization.” Terry Heittola, president of Local 350, notes that the union “has expressed and will continue to express concerns about how these structural changes will affect students and the quality of education delivered at the college.” Further details about the planned changes can be found at Georgian’s website. Barrie Examiner | Georgian
Running course online may be more expensive than in-class model: study
Online education courses are not the cost-saving measure that some higher ed stakeholders make them out to be, according to a new US-base study. The survey found that most colleges charge students the same or more to study online, and thatwhen additional fees are included, more than half of distance education students pay more than students attending in-person classes. The survey also found that the higher prices paid by students are connected to higher production costs. Researchers asked administrators in charge of distance education at 197 colleges to consider 21 components of an online course, such as faculty development, instructional design and student assessment, and how the cost of those components compares to a similar face-to-face course. The respondents indicated that nine of the components cost more in an online course, while 12 cost roughly the same. Inside Higher Ed
What to do when you are no longer interested in what your degree has trained you for
“After putting in the time, money and energy to complete a degree, it can be extremely discouraging to realize you no longer want to work in that industry,” writes David Tal for the Financial Post. The author notes that going back to school to take a new program will not be an option for many, and so he offers a series of steps that recent graduates can take to pursue a career path that is not related to their degree. These steps include reflecting on what makes the person happy, identifying prior skills, volunteering, and networking. “While making the switch is difficult, it’s not impossible,” concludes Tal. Financial Post
Carleton looks to enhance student experience, collaboration through new MOU with Ashbury
Carleton University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ashbury College aimed at enhancing student experiences by identifying areas of collaboration. Among the initiatives included for consideration in the MOU are the appointment of a member of the Carleton community to Ashbury’s board, the creation of opportunities at Ashbury to engage Carleton co-op students, and an offer by Carleton to give special consideration for select Grade 12 students at Ashbury. “Carleton and Ashbury share a commitment to education and a dedication to the local community,” said Christopher Carruthers, chair of Carleton’s Board of Governors and a life governor of Ashbury. “This agreement creates a framework for our two institutions to collaborate going forward for the betterment of students.” Carleton
Carleton looks to enhance student experience, collaboration through new MOU with Ashbury
Carleton University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ashbury College aimed at enhancing student experiences by identifying areas of collaboration. Among the initiatives included for consideration in the MOU are the appointment of a member of the Carleton community to Ashbury’s board, the creation of opportunities at Ashbury to engage Carleton co-op students, and an offer by Carleton to give special consideration for select Grade 12 students at Ashbury. “Carleton and Ashbury share a commitment to education and a dedication to the local community,” said Christopher Carruthers, chair of Carleton’s Board of Governors and a life governor of Ashbury. “This agreement creates a framework for our two institutions to collaborate going forward for the betterment of students.” Carleton
ACC waives fees to help adult students finish high school, enter PSE
Assiniboine Community College has announced two new initiatives designed to help adult students finish their high school diploma and assist them in a transition to PSE. For the next two years, ACC is waiving application fees for students applying to enroll in the Mature Student High School program, which ACC offers at its campuses in Brandon and Dauphin as well as in partnership with communities throughout Manitoba. “We want to eliminate as many barriers as possible to help connect individuals to education pathways,” said ACC Vice-President Academic Deanna Rexe. “Manitoba lags behind the majority of Canada in terms of high school completion rates. Our college has an important role to play in narrowing this gap.” ACC
Brock partners with Town of Lincoln to pursue community priorities
Brock University and the Town of Lincoln, Ontario have signed an MOU that aims to enrich Brock’s educational opportunities while advancing Lincoln’s economic, social, and community development. A Brock release states that the latest MOU builds on a strong history of collaboration between Brock and Lincoln, and will see the two partners create a joint steering committee that explores ways of moving forward by matching the university’s areas of expertise with the town’s needs. “For the University, initiatives like this typically lead to work-integrated experiential learning opportunities, while advancing cutting-edge research and transferring Brock’s innovation into our host communities, supporting social and economic needs,” said Brock Interim President Tom Traves. Brock
