Presidents’ Leadership Network 2012 Distinguished Service Award

The Presidents’ Leadership Network invites nominations for the 2012 Distinguished Service Award. Presented at the Annual Conference, this Award recognizes the contributions of presidents, present or past, to the development of the college and institute system in Canada through exceptional service. The deadline for nominations is March 23. For information on the guidelines, criteria and nominating procedures, contact Tobias Keogh.

ACCC in the Media

The Globe and Mail published an eight-page supplement on February 29 entitled Education: Canadian Colleges. The publication explored several dimensions of Canada’s college and institute system and featured stories and photos of selected college-industry applied research partnerships from our recently-published showcase entitled Increasing Productivity through Incremental Innovation – Colleges, Institutes and Polytechnics: Applied Research for Economic and Social Development. ACCC published the 2012 applied research report, Incremental Innovation for Growth and Prosperity, on the same day.

Submissions to House of Commons Committees

On February 28, ACCC appeared before the House of Commons committee charged with reviewing Bill C-11, An Act to Amend the Copyright Act. The bill addresses the issues of copyright and education in Canada including amendments to the fair dealing clauses, the use of digital copies and the ability of students and teachers to use Internet materials for educational pursuits without fear of copyright infringement. Our brief recommends some modifications to strengthen the Bill and urges Parliament to adopt the legislation at the earliest opportunity.

ACCC submitted a brief entitled Colleges and Institutes: Maintaining the Readiness of The Canadian Forces through Training and Recruitment to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Defence. We recommended that the Government of Canada expand the Canadian Forces College Opportunities Program.

World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics (WFCP) – World Congress 2012

ACCC, in collaboration with Nova Scotia Community College, will host the WFCP World Congress 2012 under the theme of Driving the Global Economy. The Congress will stimulate dialogue on the profound influence of education on societies, economies and communities. Cross-cutting themes will include Local and Global Innovation, Indigenous Peoples, Access for the Disadvantaged, Sustainability, and Transformational Leadership.

David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, and Lieutenant General Roméo A. Dallaire, (Retired), Senator, have confirmed their participation, as has Stephen Lewis, Companion of the Order of Canada and Former UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa. Vicente Fox, President of Mexico 2000-2006, will provide the opening keynote address.

Twelve hundred institutional leaders, senior officials, international partners, faculty and students will gather in Halifax, May 26-29. The ACCC Annual Conference is integrated into the WFCP event. The World Congress site is: world.accc.ca.

Register and book your accommodation early!

The ACCC College and Institute Showcase provides an opportunity for member institutions to profile leading-edge programs and services. Reserve early as space is limited.

Launch of CARICOM Education for Employment Program

James Knight, Fazal Karim, Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education of Trinidad and Tobago, and Her Excellency Karen McDonald, Canadian High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago participated in the launch for the CARICOM Education for Employment Program (C-EFE) last week. C-EFE is a five-year, $19 million CIDA-funded program to support Caribbean agencies, institutions, ministries and private sector associations in the transition to a more demand-driven education system. Three Senior Technical Advisors are now on site to coordinate this regional project. Colleges and institutes interested in participating should watch for a Request for Proposals to be issued in late spring.

2012 Forum on Serving Indigenous Peoples and Communities

Colleges and polytechnics play a key role in serving indigenous learners and supporting their pathways through post-secondary education. A Forum on Serving Indigenous Peoples and Communities will take place in Halifax on May 25. The Forum will provide networking opportunities on indigenous access and engagement. Participants will offer insights from their respective countries on approaches to improving the educational achievement of indigenous peoples.

2012 ACCC Applied Research Symposium

One hundred and fifty representatives from the college applied research community and senior federal officials attended the 2012 ACCC Applied Research Symposium to discuss opportunities to expand college applied research capacity, to provide more research opportunities for college students and to maximize the benefits for SME and community partners. Keynote speakers included Dr. Howard Alper, Chair, Science, Technology and Innovation Council; Bogdan Ciobanu, Director General, NRC-Industrial Research Assistance Program; Jim Roche, President & CEO of CANARIE; and senior representatives from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Incentive Program.

Bert van den Berg, Director, Knowledge and Technology Transfer Division at NSERC and recipient of the 2011 NSERC Extraordinary Achievement Award, was recognized for his outstanding contributions to the success of the NSERC College and Community Innovation Program.