News and commentary

Ottawa, July 30, 2009 — Canada’s universities need clearer laws about how copyright applies to digital materials so students and professors can use online resources for research and teaching.

“Copyright law should be amended to clarify that works available publicly on the Internet can be used for educational purposes without infringing copyright – or breaking the law,” says Steve Wills, manager of legal affairs at AUCC. Mr. Wills made the case for Canada’s universities at a federal roundtable on copyright reform last night in Ottawa.

The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada wants to make sure that any new amendments to copyright law allow students to view lectures live through the internet or record them to view later.

Two previous bills have been drafted to modernize Canadian copyright law to deal with the new digital environment in libraries and classrooms, but neither has been passed. A new copyright reform act could be introduced in this fall’s legislative session.

• Read our complete statement on copyright reform
• Read our background document on copyright reform

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For more information, please contact:

Steve Wills
Manager, Legal Affairs
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
Tel.: 613 563 3961, x 234
E-mail: swills@aucc.ca

Read the presentation on copyright reform

Read the backgrounder on copyright reform.

Ottawa June 24, 2009 — A group of 21 Inuit women will graduate with a master’s of education from the University of Prince Edward Island July 1, in Iqaluit.

An innovative partnership between UPEI, Arctic College, the Nunavut department of education and St. Francis Xavier University has allowed these students to study without leaving the Arctic. Most of these women are mature students who are already working as educators in some capacity in their communities.

“I am delighted to be participating in this historic convocation in Iqaluit,” says Paul Davidson, President and CEO of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. “These women’s accomplishments are remarkable.”

This specially tailored program brought UPEI professors to the North to lead classes and adapted the curriculum to the culture and needs of Nunavut residents. It was offered as a combination of on-line and face-to-face courses in Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet. The Leadership in Learning MEd is the first graduate degree program to be offered in the territory.

“AUCC is a strong advocate for developing programs that can foster greater academic achievement among Aboriginal communities. These new master’s graduates are an example of what is possible.”

“UPEI should also be recognized and commended for its initiative and sensitivity in developing a program that suits the needs of Inuit communities. A number of other Canadian universities have programs that allow Northern and First Nations students to study at the university level in their own communities, but this is the first program at the graduate level,” Davidson says.

“We will continue to work with Inuit, First Nations and Métis communities to increase opportunities for their students to get a university education.”

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For more information please contact:

Leslie Cole
Assistant Director of Communications
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada

Anne McCallum
Communications Co-ordinator
University of Prince Edward Island
Tel.: 902 566 0760
E-mail: aemccallum@upei.ca

Ottawa, June 15, 2009 – More than 85 African university students will graduate with a degree in computer science from Université Laval this week without ever visiting the Quebec campus.

The students from Francophone West Africa have earned their Canadian degrees in their own countries – studying long distance through an award-winning program funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and managed by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), in partnership with the African Virtual University (AVU).

“Computer scientists and programmers are highly desirable knowledge workers for West Africa. By setting up new businesses, creating jobs and attracting foreign investments, they not only improve their own economic future, but contribute to their countries’ economic growth,” says Walid Madhoun, Director of International Technical Cooperation at AUCC.

“The PILAF program is an excellent example of an effective intervention to help reduce poverty and CIDA is to be lauded for its innovative and effective approach in this project,” added Mr. Madhoun. Canada’s involvement with the program ends this year with the strategic realignment of CIDA’s priorities.

The Programme d’Informatique de l’Université Laval à l’Afrique Francophone (PILAF) program was recently named a finalist in the category of online learning and knowledge management and received the OCTAS sweet heart award recognizing excellence in Quebec’s information technology industry. Each year Réseau ACTION TI rewards individuals, companies or organizations for their creativity, vitality and exceptional contribution to the growth of the industry.

The degree level Programme d’informatique de l’Université Laval en Afrique francophone has been delivered to two cohorts of Francophone African students in a partnership between Université Laval and eight universities in Africa. Through this virtual university program, Université Laval professors deliver lectures to African students by webcast. Students are able to see the professors’ power point presentations, ask questions and listen to questions from students in other countries. Local tutors at their own universities support the students.

The first cohort of students began the program in 2004 and 50 graduated in June 2008. The second cohort of more than 125 students began their studies in 2006 and 150 will graduate in eight countries by the end of the program.

The majority of graduates from the first cohort of the program stayed in their home countries and contributes to the local workforce. Many of the graduating PILAF students intend to pursue their studies at the Master’s level, some in Europe and others in Canada.

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For more information:

Walid Madhoun
Director
Technical Cooperation Division, International Affairs Program
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada