WHITEHORSE – The Government of Yukon, Yukon College and the University of Saskatchewan (uSask) are providing a launching pad for the development of a circumpolar innovation ecosystem. They are bringing together academics, stakeholders, and business analysts from Sweden, Finland, Norway, Greenland and Wales with Yukon industry leaders for a two-day workshop in Whitehorse this week.

The workshop, Circumpolar Innovation: Making Science and Technology Work for the North, is a partnership between Yukon Economic Development, the College and the International Centre for Northern Governance and Development (ICNGD) at uSask. The goal of the workshop is to develop a Circumpolar Innovation Strategy and Research Agenda.

WHITEHORSE – A group of Yukon College staff and students is working to raise funds to sponsor a Syrian student refugee to attend Ayamdigut campus in Whitehorse under the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) Student Refugee Program.

Adult Basic Education coordinator Gabriel Ellis and instructor Martha Burkle, along with Student Engagement Coordinator Allison Furniss and Liberal Arts students Ulrich Trachsel and Matthew Landry have formed a local committee to spearhead fundraising, make a formal application to WUSC, and provide ongoing support to the student once they are living in Whitehorse.

The committee estimates it will take $24,000 in cash and donations to support the individual for one academic year. They have already raised $10,000.

Yukon College (YC) and Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in (TH) have launched a website that incorporates both traditional knowledge and plant ecology to support mine site restoration with local native plants.

The website includes a seed source map of the Coffee Creek area, as well as videos provided by Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Elders. The map identifies the location of potential plant species that could be used for restoration, while the videos give a description of some of the traditional uses for plants found on-site.

WHITEHORSE-Global engineering company CH2M Canada has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Yukon College’s Centre for Northern Innovation in Mining (CNIM) that will provide students with access to world-class expertise and field lab opportunities.

The MOU builds upon a partnership that in the past year has given students hands-on experience with a water monitoring field event, as well as a panel discussion on environmental issues related to resource extraction.

“CH2M is delighted to support learning and research endeavours at Yukon College, we are deeply committed to supporting programs that enrich our communities,” comments Alan Cary, Regional Managing Director, CH2M Canada.

Under the partnership CH2M personnel will undertake guest lecture opportunities and provide field lab experiences where possible to students engaged in water sampling, groundwater monitoring and mine reclamation courses as part of their CNIM programs.

Scientists are filtering DNA from Yukon waterways to map Chinook salmon habitat use. This eDNA technology could provide the most accurate, and cost effective information to date on where salmon spawn. This new technology is a great benefit to management agencies, industry, environmental assessors, and the overall health of the species.  

This innovative technique will be applied by Yukon Research Centre (YRC) scientists in partnership with Hemmera, a local environmental consulting company. Researchers will apply lab-tested techniques to rivers in Southern Yukon by extracting DNA from water samples. These samples will provide valuable information on the presence or absence of Chinook salmon using this low cost and non-invasive data collection method.

WHITEHORSE—Minister of Education Doug Graham announced today that Yukon University will be the new name of Yukon College when it officially becomes a university—a process that is currently underway.

“The eventual transition from Yukon College to Yukon University is another step in the evolution of post-secondary education in the territory,” Minister Graham said. “The ability to grant made-in-Yukon degrees, beginning with the proposed bachelor of policy studies in Indigenous governance, is an exciting new phase in the life of the college and in the lives of Yukoners.”

At the request of the Government of Yukon, Yukon College Board of Governors and staff members spent 18 months researching and visiting more than 60 institutions and organizations around the world to help inform and guide the planning and development work now in progress. The new name was selected following a recommendation from the Board of Governors and staff as part of their work.

Yukon College (YC) ranked first in Canada among all colleges for research intensity, and third and fifth respectively for research funding and partnerships among small colleges, according to the newly released Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges by Research Infosource Inc.

The study reports that research income growth for Canadian colleges has decreased significantly compared to previous years. In 2014, Canadian colleges saw a minimal increase of 4.7% in research income growth, following two strong years of +30%. Despite this change, Yukon College’s research income remained relatively stable at $4.2M, alongside large colleges whose student population overshadows YC’s small northern population.

While income growth appears to be declining nationally, faculty engagement has increased by 14.3%. Colleges have also increased their research partnerships by 15.6%, with Yukon College ranking 5th for small Canadian colleges.

WHITEHORSE - Yukon College is pleased to announce the creation of the Yukon College Foundation, lead by an impressive Board of Directors - Wendy Tayler, President, Alkan Air and inaugural board chair; Jim Wilson, Branch Manager, RBC Royal Bank; Pat Tobler, Vice President/Branch Manager, EDI Environmental Dynamics Inc.; Allison Rippin Armstrong, Vice President Lands and Environment, Kaminak Gold Corporation; and Pierre Lacasse, Senior Financial Planning Advisor, Assante Financial Management – the Foundation will enhance opportunities for students, support leading-edge research and create opportunities for innovation and teaching excellence. 

WHITEHORSE- Tracy Dart’s poem written in the theme “our northern homeland” has earned her a $2,000 cash award. Enrolled in Office Administration, Tracy is working to improve the financial well-being of her family through an education that will lead to gainful employment.

When asked what the $2,000 will mean to Dart, she states, “I’ll be able to pay my heating bills which will allow me to focus on my studies.” Longer term, Dart hopes to enroll her young daughter in a good pre-school and hopefully get her on track to being the family’s first university graduate.

If everything works out financially, Dart looks forward to one day finding time to pursue her passion for writing. Dart will be reading her poem at the Yukon College Student Awards Ceremony next week.

Beginning this academic year all credit course students graduating from Yukon College will now possess core competency knowledge in Yukon First Nations history and culture.

Many Yukon College programs require no change as their course content already covers the new core competency knowledge. Vocational and a handful of other programs will need students to complete an online course, one-day workshop (YFN 101) or challenge an online exam which has been approved by the Council of Yukon First Nations and all 14 Yukon First Nations.

“Yukon College President’s Advisory Council on First Nations Initiatives (PACFNI) members are thrilled that their vision of the core competency program has finally come to life. This will better prepare our graduates in their future jobs in Yukon, no matter what field they work in, or which community they live in,” said Melissa Atkinson, Tr’ondek Hwech’in Employment and Training Officer and PACFNI member.