Formation Continue du Supérieur

By Jeffrey Simpson. Muchas gracias, Rob Ford. Toronto’s big enchilada has put Canada on the map in Mexico, where Canada usually struggles to gain attention. In Mexico, honest politicians try to stop drugs; the Toronto mayor uses them. That’s news in Mexico, as Mr. Ford’s fabrications, drug use and drinking binges have been in many countries. At least temporarily, the mayor’s behaviour replaces another “ugly Canadian” story that’s become a staple in Mexico. More...

By James Bradshaw. Can universities and colleges adapt fast enough to meet Canada’s demands? This week, academics and policy makers gathered in Toronto for a pair of overlapping conferences, looking for answers. Schools have been under pressure from students, governments and businesses to revitalize teaching, help address Canada’s perceived skills gap and ensure graduates are ready for jobs. The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario and the Conference Board of Canada led a range of discussions. These three ideas could shape higher education in the coming years. More...

By David Kent. Last week, the International Consortium of Research Staff Associations (ICoRSA) was launched in connection with the VITAE Research Staff Conference. Forged in the fire that burns in the bellies of early career researchers with low salaries, little stability and poor career prospects, this organization aims to better the researcher profession by linking the individual (often national) organizations to each other. ICoRSA has been busy in its first year of activity – they have successfully engaged postdoctoral and researcher organizations from across the world (including the Canadian Association of Postdoctoral Scholars) and their current board members reflect a good mix of these organizations. More...

By Jennifer Polk. I never went on the academic job market. I thought about it, looked at job listings, read the wikis, and pondered what I might write about my teaching and research. But I was never moved to action. There were many reasons for this, ones that are familiar to any PhD or ABD on the road to finishing. Ultimately, all the reasons come down to this: I didn’t want to. That’s all that mattered because it’s the only thing I knew for certain. More...

By Léo Charbonneau. The installation ceremonies of two new university leaders attracted considerable attention last week because of the institutions they now represent: Suzanne Fortier, installed as principal of McGill University on November 5, and Meric Gertler, installed as president of the University of Toronto two days later.
As the new administrative heads of two of Canada’s most formidable institutions of higher learning, they are people whose words are worth reflecting on. They were, in some ways, a study in contrasts. Dr. Gertler, who joined U of T in 1983 and most recently served as dean of arts and science there, is very much an insider. He focused his remarks on the institution, with an added plea for more money. More...