The future of universities came into focus this week as news about Laurentian University layoffs put a chill over many people beyond the northern Ontario campus community.

Many are concerned about the increased challenges universities are facing during COVID-19. Far beyond the ivory tower, and across the country, much is at stake in how university leaders navigate both long-standing and unforeseen pressures. Questions linger about the purpose of universities, who benefits and the kind of society Canada aspires to be. 

Today in The Conversation Canada, Loren Falkenberg and M. Elizabeth Cannon of the University of Calgary note that "public universities, in developed countries, can no longer depend on government funding, and must restructure to reduce costs and increase revenue" through philanthropy and commercialization. 

They draw on insight from their book, Strategic University Management: Future Proofing Your Institution, to discuss how university leaders can plan for the future while “mitigating the impact of unforeseen events.”

Also today:

Regards,

Susannah Schmidt

Education + Arts Editor

The probability of successfully planning for the future dramatically increases when university leaders appropriately engage faculty and staff to strategize. (Shutterstock)

To ‘future proof’ universities, leaders have to engage faculty to make tough decisions

Loren Falkenberg, University of Calgary; M. Elizabeth Cannon, University of Calgary

Strategic planning experts say public universities in developed countries can no longer depend on government funding, and must restructure to reduce costs and increase revenue or face failure.

Part of Gros Morne National Park in western Newfoundland is seen in June 2017. Tourism is critically important for many areas of rural Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Colin Perkel

Rural vs. urban Canada: No ‘one size fits all’ COVID-19 recovery

Sarah-Patricia Breen, University of Saskatchewan

Misconceptions of rural realities can have serious implications. Better use of data can help avoid this and lead to policies that will help rural communities recover in the post-pandemic.

Reduced traffic during lockdowns led to decreases in air pollution in many major cities in Europe. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

COVID-19 lockdowns improved air quality in some cities, shedding light on how to curb pollution

Frederik Noack, University of British Columbia; Dominic Rohner, Université de Lausanne; Raahil Madhok, University of British Columbia

While most areas experienced a reduction in air pollution in response to lockdown measures, other areas saw only small improvements or even an air quality deterioration.

As we head into spring and summer, the most popular seasons for home improvement, it’s important for couples to set ground rules before breaking ground. (Shutterstock)

Renovating your home could ruin your relationship … but it doesn’t have to

Emily Waugh, University of Toronto

An architect and a therapist share tips for improving your home without sacrificing your relationship.

La Conversation Canada

La chancelière allemande Angela Merkel lors d'une conférence de presse, le 30 mars 2021, à Berlin. Elle est l'une des rares leaders à avoir présenter ses excuses dans la gestion de la pandémie de Covid-19. AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, pool)

« Je suis désolée » : à l’exemple d’Angela Merkel, les dirigeants devraient plus souvent présenter leurs excuses

Denis Monneuse, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)

La majorité des leaders ne s’excusent pas pour leurs erreurs, même flagrantes. Pourtant, des excuses sincères et spontanées sont bénéfiques.

La façon dont nous réagissons à cette pandémie est très variable et dépend surtout des multiples facettes de notre personnalité et de nos traits de caractère. Shutterstock

Qui a dit que les introvertis aimaient être confinés ? La réalité est beaucoup plus nuancée…

Lis Ku, De Montfort University

Intuitivement, on peut penser que les introvertis s’en sortent mieux que les extravertis pendant les périodes d’isolement. Or cette affirmation n’est pas soutenue par des preuves scientifiques.

COVID-19

  • The global approach to vaccine equity is failing: additional steps that would help

    Erin Hannah, Western University; James Scott, King's College London; Silke Trommer, University of Manchester; Sophie Harman, Queen Mary University of London

    The fight for vaccine equity needs to stop looking to multilateral institutions for permission and instead focus on the policy tools that are already available to states.

Health

Science + Technology