Book Review – Indigenous Knowledges and Higher Education in Canada
2025-08-01
The Canadian Journal of Higher Education is inviting reviews for a new book by Merli Tamtik entitled, Indigenous Knowledges and Higher Education in Canada.
This book examines the complex connection between Indigenous ways of knowing and the changing environment of post-secondary education in Canada. Rooted in decolonial perspectives, the book explores the challenge universities face in addressing ongoing colonialism and achieve systemic reform.
Learn more about the book here
If you are interested in reviewing this book, please send a request to William Archer at warcher@ualberta.ca
In your email request, please include a mailing address to which a printed copy of the book should be sent.
Access the book review style guide here

Graduate/Post-Doc Students Teaching in Higher Education Conference
2025-08-08 | Online
Join iTeach, for their inaugural Graduate/Postdoctoral Conference on Teaching in Higher Education: Empowering the Next Generation of Educators. This virtual conference offers an opportunity for emerging educators to showcase creative teaching approaches, explore evolving pedagogical methods, and connect with like-minded peers who are passionate about enhancing teaching and student success.
Conference sessions will address key topics relevant to graduate students and post-doctoral fellows who are teaching at the post-secondary level, providing tools to strengthen teaching skills.
Registration is free.
Learn more and register here

Essential Skills Series Intensive
2025-08-11 - 2025-08-14
The Canadian Evaluation Society Ontario Chapter is hosting a four-day intensive Essential Skills Series. Facilitated by Dr. Paul Favaror, this course is intended to provide learners with the foundations of professional evaluation including stakeholder engagement, describing programs, creating evaluation questions, identifying indicators, research design and methods, data management and analysis, work planning, evaluation reporting, and professionalization of evaluation. No prior experience is needed to attend this course.
Register by June 1st to receive the early bird rate.
Register for the workshop here
Registration: $1399 for CES members | $1599 for general admission

Collaborations for Change 2025 Virtual Conference
2025-08-13 - 2025-08-14 | Online
The Collaborations for Change Conference: Connecting Research and Practice in Post-Secondary Mental Health brings together difference makers from across Canada to collaborate on advancing knowledge, practice, and research in post-secondary student mental health. The 2025 virtual conference will bring post-secondary students, service professionals, mental health providers, and researchers together to have meaningful conversations on how to best move forward to integrate research and practice in post-secondary mental health. Students, whether working towards careers in academia or in professional practice, are vital for informing and sustaining collaborations as we move forward.
The conference will feature presentations, panels, rapid-fire presentations, and workshops across the following five conference streams:

Transforming Post-Secondary Culture Through Strategy and Action
Post-Secondary Student Mental Health Research: Engaging the Next Generation of Student Researchers
Supporting Students Amidst Global Events
Integrating Well-Being into Teaching Practices: Promoting a Healthy Classroom Environment
Shifting to a Health Promotion Approach to Address Post-Secondary Mental Health and Well-being

Registration:
Registration for the 2025 conference is now open. Register by April 7th 2025 to take advantage of the early bird rates.
Register here!

SME Days 2026 – Call for Proposals
2025-09-10 | Online
Save the date for L’ISME’s SME’s hybrid conference on March 25th and 26, 2026. The conference is an opportunity to discuss, get inspired, and learn more about how to best support student mental health in Québec.
Abstract proposals are open until September 10th, 2025. The conference will focus on the following themes:

Institutional Structure
Supportive and Inclusive Environment
Awareness
Community Capacity to Respond to Signs of Distress
Students’ Capacity to Adapt and Self-Manage
Mental Health Services
Crisis

Submit your proposal here

Webinar: Evaluating Campus Mental Health Strategies: A Case Example
2025-10-02 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Toronto) | Online
Both the Okanagan Charter and the National Standard for Mental Health and Well-being for Post-Secondary Students emphasize the important role of evaluation and continuous improvement to monitor change and adapt strategies overtime to promote mental health and wellbeing on post-secondary campuses. This webinar provides an introduction to evaluation for individuals in mental health, health promotion, and/or administration who are interested in learning more about evaluation of campus mental health strategies. Participants will be introduced to utilization-focused evaluation, along with a case example from UCalgary’s Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy. Previous experience with evaluation is not required.
Presenter: Dr. Jennifer Thannhauser is a Registered Psychologist (AB) serving as Evaluation & Research Lead for UCalgary’s Community Mental Health & Well-being Strategy. She has 12+ years experience as post-secondary counsellor, administrator, and researcher with UCalgary’s Student Wellness Services. Jennifer also serves as team lead for UCalgary’s inaugural Post-secondary Mental Health and Well-being Research and Knowledge Hub. Her research and clinical work focuses on improving post-secondary students’ mental health and well-being through strengths-based and systems approaches, emphasizing resilience. She co-developed the Roots of Resiliency program for post-secondary students, awarded “Promising Practice” through BP-Net’s Best Practices Guide, and leads the Resilience Research & Practice Community of Practice. She has held multiple tri-council grants to advance understanding of resilience in the post-secondary context, currently leading a national multi-disciplinary research team in a SSHRC-funded study exploring students’ perceptions of resilience.
Register for the webinar here

Canadian Evaluation Society Ontario Virtual Conference
2025-10-21 | Online
The Canadian Evaluation Society Ontario Virtual Conference (October 21, 2025) theme: “Exploring Program Evaluation in Ontario: Politics, Progress, and Possibility,” focuses on evaluation as a dynamic and evolving field, shaped by emerging technologies, innovative methods, and political influences.
The conference will focus on these three themes:

Innovative directions in program evaluation: Incudes emerging methods, frameworks, and decolonized approaches.
Technology in evaluation: How AI is transforming evaluation practice.
Political dynamics: How political contexts impact evaluation work, including strategies to navigate relationships with stakeholders.

Learn more here

CSSHE 2025 Webinar Series – Rethinking and Reinventing the University through Indigenous Visions
2025-10-22 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Toronto) | Online
The Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education (CSSHE) is hosting a 2025 webinar series to celebrate its 55th anniversary. Aligning with the Congress 2025 theme, “Reframing Togetherness,” this series will unite scholars, students, policymakers, and professionals across four sessions to reexamine and reimagine key challenges impacting higher education in Canada. This webinar will discuss “Rethinking and Reinventing the University through Indigenous Visions.”
Register for the webinar here

CESBC Interactive Webinar: Krazy Glue Messaging: Making Your Evaluation and Research Findings Stick
2025-10-28 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Toronto)
CESBC Interactive Webinar: Krazy Glue Messaging: Making Your Evaluation and Research Findings Stick presented by Kylie Hutchison
As evaluators, people need our evidence more than ever nowadays. But with so much going on, they have even less bandwidth to absorb the results we give them. The solution? Sticky messaging!
The evaluation profession has wholeheartedly embraced smaller and more innovative forms of reporting over the years such as infographics and two-page briefs. However, these shorter forms of communication require us to condense our extensive findings into much less content. We also need to identify and make our key messages “sticky” in order to ensure that busy decision-makers are able to understand, recall, and act on our key findings when the time comes.
Join us for a fun and interactive webinar looking at what makes a key message “sticky” and leave feeling inspired to try something new!
Register for the Webinar Here

HEQCO Conference -ReimaginEd: Shaping the Future of Ontario PSE
2025-11-07 | Toronto, ON, Canada
Registration is open for HEQCO’s tenth annual conference on November 7, 2025, in Toronto.
The conference theme, ReimaginEd: Shaping the Future of Ontario PSE arrives at a pivotal moment for the postsecondary landscape, marked by both challenges and transformation. The rise of artificial intelligence, evolving student populations, financial pressures, and a changing job market are just a few of the forces influencing Ontario’s colleges and universities. ReimaginEd provides a valuable platform to engage with peers from across the sector, explore innovative ideas about the system’s mission, structure, and objectives, and collaborate on strategies for future adaptation.
Register for the conference here

CICMH 2025 Conference - Dialogue to Action: Pathways to Hope
2025-11-12 | Online
Save the date for the Centre for Innovation in Campus Mental Health (CICMH)’s annual conference, Dialogue to Action. This conference brings together post-secondary mental health professionals in Ontario and across Canada to discuss objectives and take-aways applicable to their work. The theme of the conference, Dialogue to Action: Pathways to Hope, centres on the need to collect narratives of hope, perseverance, and innovation amid scarce resources, changing priorities, and unpredictability.
The conference will feature virtual poster presentations, keynote addresses, networking, and concurrent sessions across the following six streams:

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Anti-Racism (EDIAA)
Changing Systems
Indigenous Student Engagement and Wellness
Student Engagement
Substance Use & Harm Reduction
Clinical Interventions

Learn more about the conference here

10th Digital Mental Health International Congress – Expression of Interest
2025-11-19 - 2025-11-21 | Toronto, ON, Canada
The Digital Mental Health International Congress is inviting expressions of interest in attending their 10th Anniversary International Congress on November 19-21 in Toronto.
Hosted by the eMental Health International Collaborative (EMHIC) and the Mental Health Commission of Canada, the congress highlights the successful use of digital technologies, which can provide valuable support to clients beyond traditional therapy sessions, amplify the effectiveness of in-person care, and offer a practical solution to the global mental health crisis.
Express your interest here

Canadian Evaluation Society BC 2025 Conference
2025-11-21
The Canadian Evaluation Society British Columbia Chapter’s 2025 Conference is November 21, 2025. This year’s theme, “Unfolding the Evaluation Journey,” invites attendees to view evaluation as a process rich with opportunities to gain insights, make changes, and gain knowledge of evaluation efforts and impacts.
Conference details will be shared here

Webinar: The Intersection of Anti-Black Racism, Masculinity, and Mental Health
2026-01-15 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Toronto) | Virtual
Hosted by The Centre for Innovation in Campus Mental Health (CICMH)
In this Q&A-style webinar, Dr. Warren Clarke (University of Manitoba) explores the intersectional nature of mental health and its impact on Black men. The discussion will examine how anti-Black racism, masculinity, and other social factors shape mental health experiences and outcomes.
Drawing on his work as the founder of The Barbershop Talk Series, Dr. Clarke will also highlight the importance of engaging Black men in honest, culturally safe conversations about their lived experiences. This webinar aims to deepen understanding of the unique challenges faced by Black communities and to inform how post-secondary campuses can better support mental well-being.
Accessibility: Closed captioning in French will be available.

Learn more and register:
https://campusmentalhealth.ca/webinars/the-intersection-of-anti-black-racism-masculinity-and-mental-health/

Webinar: Cultivating Resilience and Flourishing - 3Rs for Burnout Prevention and Well-being
2026-01-21 10:00 - 23:30 (America/Edmonton) | Virtual
Recent Canadian data shows that 44% of working Canadians feel constantly stressed, and 1 in 4 families are severely stressed. This seminar hosted by Healthy Campus Alberta will present practical, evidence-based strategies (the 3Rs) to mitigate the harmful effects of stress and burnout and enhance well-being in daily life. The 3Rs are based on over 20 years of evidence from Suzanne Tough, PhD, and other leaders in resilience research. These strategies empower individuals, families, and communities to build resilience through meaningful connections, daily routines, and local community-based resources, creating a foundation for flourishing. This seminar will introduce the brain science of stress, resilience and flourishing, and the underlying physiological and psychological mechanisms for each 3R strategy. Attendees will have the opportunity to consider how to incorporate these strategies into their daily lives through group work and thought exercises.

HM|HC Talks: The Limerick Framework for Action—a new roadmap to guide health promoting campuses
2026-01-27 15:00 - 16:30 (America/Toronto) | Virtual
This next HM|HC Talks session will focus on The Limerick Framework for Action: A New Roadmap to Guide Health Promoting Campuses, with the stimulus presenters, Drs. Matt Dolf and Vicki Squires. Here’s an abstract for their stimulus presentation:
Join Dr. Matt Dolf and Dr. Vicki Squires as they introduce the Limerick Framework for Action—the latest international guidance document building on the landmark 2015 Okanagan Charter. Developed through 18 months of collaboration among international health promotion leaders and unveiled at the 2025 International Health Promoting Campuses conference in Limerick, Ireland, this framework provides practical guidance for implementing campus health promotion. Drs. Dolf and Squires were members of the development team and will share their insights on the framework’s key elements, guiding principles, and actions for creating healthier campus communities. Whether you’re new to the health promoting universities movement or seeking practical tools to advance existing initiatives, you’ll leave with actionable insights for your institution.
Online meeting participants will:
· Learn about the Limerick Framework for Action and its role in advancing health-promoting campuses
· Gain insights on its key elements, guiding principles, and priority actions
· Take away practical, actionable ideas to support health promotion initiatives at your own institutions
HM|HC Talks format:
· Interactive meeting via Zoom with the option to connect over webcam (preferred), chat, or phone
· Speakers present a health literacy topic followed by a group dialogue
· Limited spots are available: please reserve your free tickets on Zeffy now!

AI In Higher Education: Where are we now?
2026-01-28 15:00 (America/Toronto) | Zoom
Co-moderators: Phoebe Kang (CSSHE; University of Toronto Mississauga) & Amanda Brijmohan (University of Toronto Mississauga)
Panelists:
Sandy Hervieux, McGill University
Dr. Ramon Lawrence, University of British Columbia Okanagan
Christos Orfanidis, OISE/University of Toronto
Sarah-Jean Watt, Athabasca University

The Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education (CSSHE) brings together educators, students, and practitioners including third space practitioners across higher education landscape to this January webinar exploring the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence (AI) and higher education.
From policy development and ethics to teaching, learning, and research and administration, AI continues to influence how institutions define and deliver their educational missions. This session convenes panelists who are directly involved in this work—faculty, librarians, instructional specialists, and policy specialists—to illustrate how AI is transforming their roles and relationships across campus.
Panelists will discuss how AI is transforming collaboration with faculty and student support, the effectiveness of institutional and governmental policies in addressing ethical and pedagogical challenges, and the ways AI is reshaping assessment, course design, and research practices. They will also reflect on what is working—and what is not—in navigating this rapidly evolving landscape, and consider how higher education can uphold equity, integrity, and human-centered learning in the era of AI

CES Special Truth and Reconciliation Webinar Series: Session 3 – Treaty Relationships in Practice
2026-02-04 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Vancouver) | Virtual
This is the third session of a four part thematic Truth & Reconciliation series facilitated by Crystal Fraser and Sara Komarnisky of 150 Acts of Reconciliation. Please note, spaces are limited and this session will not be recorded.

Webinar: Exploring the Limerick Framework for Action
2026-02-04 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Edmonton) | Virtual
Join Healthy Campus Alberta for a webinar featuring Dr. Vicki Squires, Co-Chair of the Canadian Health Promoting Campuses Network, and Dr. Jennifer Thannhauser, Evaluation Lead for UCalgary’s Community Mental Health and Well-Being Strategy, as we explore the Limerick Framework for Action.
This session will provide background on the Framework’s development, an overview of its key elements, and a discussion of its relevance for Alberta’s post-secondary mental health community in relation to other guiding documents such as the National Standard. We will also examine how campuses are addressing the intersections of mental health and well-being, sustainability, and EDIA, and identify opportunities for shared learning and collaboration across the provincial community of practice.

Supporting Indigenous Students with their Transition into Post-Secondary
2026-02-05 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Toronto) | Virtual
Supporting Indigenous students on their post-secondary journey is important, especially through their transition experience. In this webinar, we are joined by Megan VanEvery from CICMH, Anna Zecharia from Indigenous Institutes Consortium (IIC), and Allanna Macaluso and Joy Simon from Kenjgewin Teg. The presentation will highlight CICMH’s toolkit, Transitioning into Post-Secondary: A Guide for Indigenous Students, and the Pathways to Wellness: An Online Interactive Resource for Indigenous Students, developed by the IIC and members. Discussion will address the content of the toolkit, the collaboration and relationship building amongst CICMH and IIC, and Kenjgewin Teg will share their experience implementing the Pathways to Wellness Resource amongst their students.

SESSION 3: Post-Secondary Mental Health and Well-Being Research & Knowledge Hub Working Group Series
2026-02-20 08:30 - 12:30 (America/Edmonton) | University of Calgary
UCalgary’s Post-Secondary Mental Health and Well-Being Research & Knowledge Hub (The Hub) is launching a five-session working group series. This series, supported by a UCalgary Transdisciplinary Connector Grant, is designed to leverage transdisciplinary collaboration and will tackle the significant challenges facing post-secondary mental health & well-being. Participants will have the opportunity to address a shared challenge or opportunity by:

Connecting with passionate peers across disciplines, focusing on a whole institution approach.
Co-creating innovative projects tackling urgent mental health challenges, focused on community engagement.
Receiving mentorship in partnership building, project development, grant writing, and knowledge mobilization.
Helping shape the future of mental health in post-secondary settings.

Whether you’re a researcher, student, staff member, or community partner, you are welcome to participate; no research experience is required. Participants are expected to actively participate in all five sessions.
The workshop series will solidify new transdisciplinary partnerships grounded in seven priority themes:

Eating disorders, addictions, and recovery
Transitions (into/out of post-secondary; between post-secondary and healthcare systems)
Well-being and work
Mental health data & evaluation
Peer support
Suicide prevention/intervention and severe mental illness
Teaching & learning

*Breakfast and refreshments provided*

Journées SME 2026/ SME Days 2026
2026-03-25 - 2026-03-26 | Hybrid
Join L’Initative sur la santé mentale étudiante en enseignment supérieur (L’ISME) for their Station SME’s hybrid conference on March 25th and 26, 2025. The conference is an opportunity to discuss, get inspired, and learn more about how to best support student mental health in Québec.
The objectives of the conference are to support knowledge transfer, innovation in practice, and strengthen the network of community members working within student mental health in higher education.
The conference will focus on the following themes:

Institutional Structure
Supportive and Inclusive Environment
Awareness
Community Capacity to Respond to Signs of Distress
Students’ Capacity to Adapt and Self-Manage
Mental Health Services
Crisis

Learn more here

CES Special Truth & Reconciliation Webinar Series: Session 4 - Taking Action
2026-04-13 10:00 - 23:00 (America/Vancouver) | Virtual
This is the fourth session of a four part thematic Truth & Reconciliation series facilitated by Crystal Fraser and Sara Komarnisky of 150 Acts of Reconciliation. Please note, spaces are limited and this session will not be recorded.

HEA Health & Wellbeing Conference: Global Perspectives, Ireland Leadership: Transforming Healthy Campus Policy
2026-04-22 | Law Society of Ireland, Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
The Higher Education Authority is hosting its 3rd annual Health and Wellbeing Conference, marking a shift from policy theory to tangible action. The event features keynotes from Professor Philip Dodd on “whole-institution” mandates, and Canadian perspectives from Professor Vicki Squires and Dr. Jennifer Thannhauser on the Okanagan Charter and systemic wellness.

Register for the conference here

Together | Ensemble 2026: Mobilizing Local Action for Global Impact
2026-05-19 - 2026-05-20 | University of Calgary
This conference connects the UN Sustainable Development Goals to campus life by addressing systemic factors like equity and climate anxiety that directly impact student well-being. The event empowers post-secondary communities to move from “vision to action,” fostering a sense of agency and belonging through intergenerational dialogues and youth-led innovation.
The event features a diverse, intergenerational gathering of Indigenous people, youth, academia, and leaders from government and business. Keynote speakers include Anacláudia Rossback (UN-Habitat), The Honourable Bob Rae (Ambassador to the UN), and Danika Littlechild (UNESCO Research Chair). Registration for both in-person and online participation remains open until May 12, 2026.

Register for the conference here

2026 Healthy Campus Alberta Wellness Summit
2026-05-21 - 2026-05-22 | Concordia University of Edmonton, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
The 2026 Healthy Campus Alberta Wellness Summit features keynote speaker Carol Hopkins and focuses on four key areas: meeting people where they are, mapping sustainable paths, responding to changing landscapes like AI and climate anxiety, and orienting to well-being through connection and recovery.

Supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ Students on Campus: A Pilot Workshop
2026-05-21 15:00 - 16:30 (America/Toronto) | Virtual
In Canada, 2SLGBTQIA+ youth face a greater risk of poor mental health outcomes. While various supports may be available to the general population, it’s important to understand the unique experiences 2SLGBTQIA+ students face. Additionally, it is crucial to understand how intersectional identities influence mental health outcomes and the considerations.
In light of this, CICMH is piloting a new workshop on Supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ Students on Campus. This new training, based on the Invisible Intersections Toolkit, will provide an introductory overview of 2SLGBTQIA+ students’ mental health, looking at challenges and stressors with an intersectional lens, and recommendations for campuses.
Register here: https://campusmentalhealth.ca/event/supporting-2slgbtqia-students-on-campus-a-pilot-workshop/

Centering Human Rights and Equity in Education: Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education 2026 Conference
2026-05-31 - 2026-06-02 | University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Held at the University of Manitoba, this year’s theme, “Centering Human Rights and Equity in Education,” focuses on advancing dialogue within the academic community. Highlights include a keynote by Dr. Jeremy Patzer on Indigenous identity policy, an Indigenous land and place-making tour, and sessions on the ethical implementation of AI and decolonial methodologies.

Register for the conference here

CACUSS 2026: NAVIGATING the Future: What's Next for Student Affairs?
2026-06-02 - 2026-06-04 | Virtual
CACUSS is excited to invite attendees to the 2026 Conference NAVIGATING the Future: Whats Next for Student Affairs? taking place virtually on June 2-4. The conference theme returns attendees to the core of our work as student affairs & services practitioners.
The mission of the conference is to advocate for the interests of students, provide support for the whole person, and consider learners’ multiple identities and perspectives as we center them in our work.
Call for proposal due date: Jan 21, 2026
Registration closure date: June 1, 2026

Empowering Concussion Recovery: Tools, Strategies, and Stories for Healing
2026-06-11 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Toronto) | Virtual
Join Judy Gargaro from Neurotrauma Care Pathways and Ryan Sutton and Seth Mendelson from the Headsup Concussion Advocacy Network as they discuss concussion impacts and essential care. Learn about evidence-based best practices, assessment tools, and key management strategies that can be used in the post-secondary community settings, along with tips to identify reliable resources. Hear inspiring stories from those who have transformed their concussion experiences into support for others. French closed captioning will be available.
