November 12, 2020
Acadia University has received a $2M gift from Acadia alumnus Nancy McCain and her husband, which will be used to support the Campaign for Acadia. The donation will support a reimagined Students’ Union Building, which will house the proposed Centre for Student Success and other services, people, and programs. It will also support the extension of Acadia’s campus mental health services. “From the very beginning, the Campaign for Acadia has aimed to support the aspirations of our students and faculty and give them the resources they need to sustain Acadia’s reputation as a premier liberal arts university,” said McCain. “Bill and I are delighted to contribute to Acadia today so that current and prospective students have vital resources that will ensure their personal and academic success now and in years to come.”
Acadia (NS)
Instructors should try to narrow the focus of their courses to enhance student retention, writes Terry McGlynn. The author explains how students in classes that cover broad topics tend to retain less than students in classes with a focused topic. McGlynn further adds that instructors of classes that cover a lot of material often find it difficult to teach in a way that promotes learning. “The more successful you are at paring down what you are going to teach, the more you can teach so that students can learn it deeply,” writes McGlynn. “Introducing students to a concept, but not taking the time to actually support their learning it, rarely does any of them a useful service.”
The Chronicle of Higher Ed (International)
“After the pandemic hit, international students at Canadian universities were faced with a choice: continue their studies in Canada or return to their home countries to study remotely,” writes Marisa Coulton of Maclean’s. Drawing from the results of the International Prospective Student Study (IPSS), which was conducted by Academica Group and Maple Assist throughout this past summer, Coulton describes how the pandemic threw the future of international students into uncertainty. The article contains interviews with students from around the world who applied to attend Canadian postsecondary education in Fall 2020, and discusses how they have been impacted by the pandemic.
Maclean’s (National)
Georgian College has established a partnership with Magna International Inc. The five-year agreement, which is supported by a $1M investment in the college, will see the creation of the new Magna Mechatronics Lab and new scholarship opportunities. Additionally, it will support research and development opportunities and programming around co-op and post-graduate employment. “This investment underscores Magna’s commitment to help develop future-ready graduates, their own workforce as well as support research collaborations to deliver innovative solutions for the benefit of the advanced manufacturing sector,” said Georgian President MaryLynn West-Moynes. “Ensuring Georgian has state-of-the-art equipment and exceptional learning spaces will prepare our students to lead when they graduate into this dynamic, evolving global industry.”
Georgian (ON)
NorQuest has launched a new two-year interdisciplinary Energy Management Diploma. Through the program, students will learn about the energy sector with a particular focus on the business side of the industry. The program will train students in new and innovative technology trends such as project management, microgeneration, supply chain management, and community energy and emissions planning. “Alberta excels in various forms of energy from oil and gas to solar and wind and this new program provides an opportunity for students with limited energy experience or those looking to transition from technical careers in the energy industry to be a part of Alberta’s energy future,” said Sandra Moore, Dean of NorQuest’s Faculty of Business, Environment, and Technology.
NorQuest (AB)
HEC Montréal has announced that it will create a Top Executives and Strategic Management Hub, which will be committed to becoming an international reference in understanding the work done by executives. The hub will be dedicated to research on the work of executives and the strategic challenges they face, and will additionally act as a resource for senior managers and their management teams. The Hub will rely both on HEC Montréal instructors and on the support of external collaborators.
HEC Montréal (QC)
Many postsecondary institutions are not effectively preparing their students for a career after graduation, writes Paul Fain, and students are frustrated by this. In the US context, Fain writes that many internship opportunities have been cut and jobs have been cancelled. Additionally, many students say that their instructors, who normally might provide mentorship or career advice, are less available due to COVID-19. As the job market rapidly evolves due to COVID-19, students need their institutions to offer reliable career advising and become frustrated when they do not. The article concludes by saying that career readiness should be a part of every class and that it is vital in helping students feel that their postsecondary education will be worthwhile.
Inside Higher Ed (International)
The Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières will be moving to a new university campus in Quebec City. The future campus will include modern facilities, refined architecture, and an accessible location where students, faculty, and staff can carry out their work and studies in a positive environment. The campus is expected to open to the community in Summer 2021. UQTR will move the programs that are currently offered at the Bellevue Complex to the new campus when construction is complete.
UQTR (QC)
The King’s University has launched a career and vocation office, called the Career and Calling Centre, that is focused on helping current students and graduates find careers or learn more about graduate studies. Employees at the centre also hope that it will provide a space for students to better equip themselves for the future and live a meaningful life. “It is very inspirational to see students engaged in establishing career development skills, getting out of their shells, learning how to present themselves to the professional world, and becoming more confident about their futures,” said Tetyana Khramova, vocational counsellor at the new centre.
King’s U (AB)
CBC reports that athletes are criticizing Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ)’s response to a recent open letter. After RSEQ made an Instagram post in June about Black Lives Matter, students wrote an open letter asking the organization to demonstrate how they have taken steps to support inclusion and diversity and to fight racism. Students felt that RSEQ’s subsequent response was dismissive and did not address the issues brought up by the letter. “I just feel like, do they care about us outside of our jerseys?” said third-year Concordia Stingers athlete Nelly Owusu. “They haven’t taken any procedures since the Instagram post — the trendy Instagram post. They haven’t reached out to the BIPOC athletes in the league.”
CBC |
RSEQ (QC)
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