Top Ten

UManitoba creates Access Hub for Internationally Educated Health Professionals

The University of Manitoba has created an Access Hub for Internationally Educated Health Professionals through $735K in federal funding. The hub will provide bridging programs for people educated outside of Canada in the fields of pharmacy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, respiratory therapy, speech language pathology, and audiology. Professionals can use the hub to gain access to resources, online modules, guidance, and supplementary programs. It will also encourage licenced professionals to take on mentorship roles. “For the first time, this will enable newcomer professionals to fill gaps in their educational qualifications without having to enrol in an entire, full-time UM program,” said Dr Christine Polimeni, UManitoba Vice-Dean of Continuing Competency and Assessment. CBC | Winnipeg Free Press (MB)

YTC, UAlberta partner to offer Indigenous-industry relations program

Yellowhead Tribal College and the University of Alberta have partnered to offer an Indigenous community-industry relations certificate and an Indigenous community-engagement citation. The two institutions will share instruction for the two programs: YTC will teach courses that use land-based teaching and that are informed by ancestral knowledge, while UAlberta will teach courses focused on industry and business. The article says that this collaboration recognizes the significance of Indigenous knowledge systems and is a step toward reconciliation. “Indigenous knowledge holders and Indigenous elders: they have PhDs as well,” said Florence Glanfield, vice-provost of Indigenous programming and research at UAlberta. “They have PhDs in the knowledge-systems, and they understand language, and they have so much to offer … institutions such as the University of Alberta.” Edmonton Journal (AB)

UNB becomes accredited partner of CPSA

The University of New Brunswick has announced that it is now an accredited partner of the Canadian Professional Sales Association (CPSA). Through the partnership, MBA courses at UNB Saint John’s uptown location will be CPSA accredited, providing students with the prerequisites for the Certified Sales Professional designation. “UNB’s relationship with the CPSA will benefit Atlantic Canada’s business community, bringing expertise to the area and producing more professional salespeople, something which will boost New Brunswick’s economy,” said Dr Shelley Rinehart, UNB MBA director. UNB (NB)

Fanshawe updates aviation school to reflect growth and future plans

Fanshawe College has renamed its aviation school the Norton Wolf School of Aviation and Aerospace Technology. The new name recognizes the school’s recent growth and the vision Fanshawe has for the future of its aerospace programs. The release explains that Fanshawe has expanded its programming to include aviation and aerospace-related programs, and that the college is developing new programs in the industry for the future. “This is an exciting time for the Norton Wolf School of Aviation and Aerospace Technology as we continue to attract high-calibre students to leading-edge programs that prepare them for great careers upon graduation,” said Norton Wolf School Associate Dean Larry Weir. Fanshawe (ON)

Tips new administrators can use to settle into a new role: Opinion

Stella Erbes reflects on her inaugural year as a department chair and shares 13 tips on how new administrators can thrive in their positions. The author recommends that, since there is a lack of systematic training for those taking up leadership roles, new administrators can prepare themselves by reading professional development books, meeting with former and current deans and supervisors, and learning about how the department’s finances work. The article also suggests taking the time to appreciate and communicate with office staff, student employees, and faculty, and emphasizes the importance of caring for oneself. Inside Higher Ed (International)

Brock, Niagara receive funding for updates, maintenance

Brock University and Niagara College will receive increased funding from the Government of Ontario to address maintenance backlogs, complete necessary repairs and upgrades, and to provide students, instructors, and staff with a safe and modern learning environment. Niagara will receive nearly $2.47M and Brock will receive $2.95M. Niagara will also receive $745K in capital funding for instructional equipment and resources. “The first-class education students receive at our postsecondary institutions is critical to the future of Ontario, our economy, and the prosperity of our people,” said Ross Romano, ON Minister of Colleges and Universities. “That is why our government is committed to providing annual funding that will help our colleges and universities renew and modernize their facilities.” Niagara (ON)

Conseil des Métiers d’Art, Cégep du Vieux-Montréal partner on building restoration program

Conseil des Métiers d’Art has partnered with Cégep du Vieux-Montréal to offer a course to train stone masons, carpenters, and cabinet-makers to maintain Quebec City’s heritage buildings. The 15-week course, which will be taught by distance and in-person, will cover how to assess buildings and appropriate interventions based on the building’s construction and style. “We noticed that this expertise was on the way to being lost,” said France Girard, project manager in architecture and heritage at the Conseil des Métiers d’Art. “The preservation and transmission of this know-how is directly linked to the preservation and transmission of our heritage.” CBC (QC)

Students create, participate in caring initiatives

Postsecondary students across Canada are working together to launch care initiatives and respond to the needs of those in their communities. A McGill University student has founded Meals for Milton-Parc, which provides hot meals, hygiene kits, and warm clothing packages to those without homes in the area. Students at Thompson Rivers University are creating and handing out bags filled with fresh fruit and other supplies to their local homeless community. Athletes at Carleton University are using the time that would normally go towards competitions to connect with residents of a local long-term care home. CBC (McGill) | Castanet Kamloops (TRU) | CBC (Carleton) (National)

ON Court of Appeal finds UWaterloo failed to accommodate man with disability

Ontario’s Court of Appeal has found that the University of Waterloo discriminated against a potential student through failing to provide accommodation within the admissions process. The article explains that applicant Roch Longueépée applied to UWaterloo in 2013, but was turned down as “unlikely to succeed.” CBC says that the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario initially found that UWaterloo had treated him with compassion; when Longueépée appealed this decision, the divisional court found that UWaterloo had failed to accommodate Longueépée during the admissions process. CBC | The Star (ON)

Making the first day of a course effective: Opinion

Instructors should try to make the first day of a course engaging and effective, writes Denise K Magner. The author writes that instructors should use the flexibility they have on the first day to gain student engagement. Rather than reading the syllabus out loud, instructors could begin by sparking curiosity about the course topics before referencing how the syllabus will guide students through those topics to satisfy their curiosity. Magner also suggests giving students a challenging task to complete before they have learned the skills they need to succeed at it in order to get a clear view of students’ current understanding of the subject. The Chronicle of Higher Ed (International)