In this episode of the EdUp Canada podcast we explore the transformative role of skills and training in shaping successful careers. The episode features Dr. Julia Christensen Hughes reflecting on Canada’s educational sector, focusing on both her university experience at Yorkville University and her relationship with the Toronto Film School, a regulated career college. Hughes and Sangster discuss
- the challenges in the education sector, such as government changes affecting the international student program
- maintaining student experience quality and academic integrity,
- and fostering resilience in students.
The conversation also covers the concept of relentless welcome, diversity in student populations, ensuring truth in advertising for international students, and the potential damage to reputations of educational institutions. Hughes shares her personal career journey and her greatest mentor, emphasizing the impact tutors can have on student lives. They both remain optimistic about the education sector’s future despite the difficulties faced.
01:26 Discussion on International Student Program Changes
01:43 Exploring Strengths and Weaknesses of the Education Sector
02:10 Transforming Higher Education
02:18 Impact of Government’s Announcements on Education
04:11 Challenges and Opportunities in the Education Sector
04:45 Importance of Academic Integrity
05:24 Preparing Students for the Future
06:31 Addressing Mental Stress in Education
07:33 Innovations in Learning Spaces and Pedagogies
08:23 Challenges and Opportunities in the Education Sector
08:54 Investments in Education and Technology
09:39 Addressing Truth in Advertising in Education
10:01 Reputation and Integrity in the Education Sector
13:57 Personal Career Path and Mentorship
17:33 Reputational Issues in Post-Secondary Education
23:02 Toronto Film School: A Case Study
31:14 Closing Remarks and Future Directions
Bio: Yorkville University’s Dr. Julia Christensen Hughes, PhD, is a globally recognized academic
innovator who is passionate about the transformational power of post-secondary education to
change lives and improve society. As President and Vice Chancellor of Canada’s largest private
university, she has played a pivotal role in committing Yorkville to mentoring the next generation
of ethical, highly skilled and socially conscious business leaders, psychotherapists, educators, and
creative storytellers and designers. Under Dr. Christensen Hughes’s visionary leadership,
Yorkville – which boasts campuses in Vancouver, BC, Toronto, ON, and Fredericton, NB – has
become a hub for innovative approaches to accessible education, with distinctive capabilities in
the creation of an exceptional student experience, high-demand and career-relevant programs,
leading student recruitment, and high-quality faculty.
Dr. Christensen Hughes’s published work includes the co-edited books Academic Integrity in
Canada: An Enduring and Essential Challenge (2022); Taking Stock 2.0: Transforming Teaching
and Learning in Higher Education (2022); Taking Stock: Research on Teaching and Learning in
Higher Education (2010); and Curriculum Development in Higher Education: Faculty-Driven
Processes and Practices (2007). Her most recent journal articles have focused on the need to
better align university rankings and faculty research with the United Nation’s Sustainable
Development Goals.
