Top Ten
July 17, 2018
NS invests $1.4M in incentives for Dal nurse practitioner program
The Nova Scotia government has invested $1.4M in an incentive program for nurse practitioners at Dalhousie University, reports the Halifax Chronicle Herald. Nova Scotia Nurses' Union president Janet Hazelton stated that only registered nurses with at least two years of work experience may train as nurse practitioners, but added that they lose their salary and benefits during the training period. According to the Chronicle Herald, the program will cover the salaries for up to ten nurse practitioners, provided they commit to working in one of eight designated communities over the next five years. Chronicle Herald
CNC partners with Chinese education centre
The College of New Caledonia and the Zhejiang Australian International Career Centre have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will help prepare high school students in China’s Zhejiang province for programs at CNC. “We’re honoured to be Zhejiang AICC’s first Canadian partner,” said Director of CNC International Education Barb Old. “This MOU lays the foundation for the development of a Chinese-Canadian education program that further diversifies CNC’s international student body.” The MOU also provides CNC instructors with opportunities to travel to China. CNC expects the first cohort of Chinese students to arrive in three years. CNC
Loss of international students would have major impact on BC economy: BCFS
A new report from the British Columbia Federation of Students has found that international students spend over $3.1B, create over 26,000 jobs, and contribute $1.7B to provincial GDP. However, the influx of cash could be at risk because of rising international tuition fees. “Should anything happen and international students decide to go to a different province or a different country then our province would be in a bit of trouble,” said Laura Celeste, the report’s lead author. BC Minister of Advanced Education Melanie Mark stated that the government is currently working on several issues related to international students. CBC | BCFS report (PDF)
Confederation responds to demand for early childcare workers
Confederation College is working with industry partners to address a regional shortage of Early Childhood Educators and Educational Support Workers, and will offer an additional regional intake for its ECE program for the fall. “We recognize the growing need for professionals in these fields and are excited to more closely align with our industry partners to highlight the benefits of our Confederation programs and these careers,” said Angelina Anderson, Director of Confederation’s Dryden and Sioux Lookout campuses. Sarah Stevenson, Director of Integrated Social Services with the Kenora District Services Board, added that the region will need 30 additional ECE workers in the near future. Confederation
ON decisions signal science does not matter, say scientists
Reinhart Reithmeier and Peter Love write that the Ontario government’s decisions to dismiss the province’s chief scientist and eliminate the Ministry of Research, Innovation, and Science sends a dangerous signal that science does not matter. The authors draw on a host of examples that emphasize the significance of scientific research and innovation for the Canadian economy, human health, and the environment. Reithmeier and Love go on to argue that science needs to be based on investigation and critical thought, rather than the rote memorization of facts, adding that evidence-based analysis is a pillar for scientific inquiry. “An informed public that embraces science builds a stronger Canada,” the authors conclude. Toronto Star
SaskPoly, Sofia House collaboration empowers women through gardening, carpentry
CBC reports that a partnership between Saskatchewan Polytechnic and Sofia House is fostering empowerment and healing for women through gardening and carpentry. According to CBC, women staying at Sofia House build garden boxes with the help of mentors from SaskPoly’s Build Together Porgram. “Many of the families fleeing from domestic conflict that come to Sofia House have minimal belongings and money,” said Kirsten Kraus, Family Program Coordinator at Sofia House. “As the women learned new carpentry skills, they worked collaboratively as a team and it really was empowering and built that self-confidence.” CBC
Nipissing study examines barriers to PSE access for northern rural residents
A new study by researchers at Nipissing University has found those from the northernmost parts of Canada’s provinces face significant barriers on the road to attending postsecondary schools. “Northern, rural residents are doubly disadvantaged,” stated lead author David Zarifa. “Not only do they reside far away from colleges and universities, but their sociodemographic profiles are characterized by lower incomes and lower parental education on average, along with a host of traits known to hamper post-secondary education participation.” The study was conducted using data from Statistics Canada’s Youth in Transition Survey. Bay Today | Wiley Online Library (Study)
UofGH, Soka University announce new exchange program
The University of Guelph-Humber and Japan’s Soka University have announced a new exchange program that will open up study abroad opportunities for students from both institutions. “It’s a great opportunity because of the culture at Soka University,” said Paul Sherman, Program Head of Family & Community Social Services at UofGH. “The ethos at Soka University is to cultivate and promote global citizenship. The students there are so friendly, caring, and broad-minded. It’s an opportunity for our students to be introduced to and immersed in that prosocial culture.” UofGH students from all programs will be eligible to apply for the exchange. UoGuelph-Humber
McGill medical building damaged in fire
The University of McGill’s McIntyre Medical Building has sustained damage after a major fire in Montreal, reports CBC. According to a statement from the university, water from firefighters caused most of the damage. The damage appears to be limited to the terrace, cafeteria, and kitchen on the building's fifth floor. McGill PhD candidate Shawn McGuirk conducts experiments on the seventh floor and stated that even if the fire did not reach the labs, rising smoke could ruin experiments or equipment. The building also houses two libraries, whose collections suffered minor damage. CBC adds that nobody was injured in the fire. CBC
Moving away from the traditional advising format
With less than half of students indicating in a recent survey that they would like advising to occur in a one-on-one, in-person session, Dian Schaffhauser writes that it may be time for student advising to go beyond the traditional format. The survey found that while 74% of students ranked the academic adviser as the top resource for making college decisions and 70% said that it was optimal to meet with an advisor on at least a monthly basis, nearly half had not done so in the last month and a quarter had not in the past six months. Students were most interested in success coaching to help them stay on track with degree completion, as well as career coaching. Campus Technology
