Once again UPEI has moved up in the annual Maclean's rankings of the country's 21 primarily undergraduate universities. This builds on an upward trend that has seen UPEI climb steadily from 18th position in 2000 to the 8th position it has held during the past two years. Now it ranks number five in Canada.

The annual Maclean's rankings released this week place UPEI number one in the country for awards per full time faculty, fourth for the number of classes taught by tenured faculty, and fourth for the number of students winning awards.

"Our increasingly positive results reflect our commitment to providing students with an exceptional educational experience at UPEI," says Vice President of Academic Development Dr. Vianne Timmons. "The number five overall ranking also speaks to improvements and enhanced performance in all aspects of what we do at UPEI."

UPEI students also welcomed the fifth place ranking as recognition of the many positive developments on campus. "It has been an incredible experience to see the transformational effects that a UPEI education can have on its students," says Student Union President Ryan Gallant, "and to see this small university become a more viable option for all students, not just for those from Atlantic Canada or from across the country, but for students around the world."

More than 4,000 students from 50 countries and every region of Canada now attend UPEI. Although the historic core of the campus proudly traces its roots back to 1804, most facilities have been newly constructed or recently expanded and renovated during a period of unprecedented development over the last five years.

The Duffy Science Centre has been completely redesigned. A new apartment-style residence has transformed the south face of campus. The National Research Council Institute for Nutrisciences and Health brings a remarkable new science platform, to be joined by a $32 million expansion of the Atlantic Veterinary College now under way. And the new School of Business and Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship has begun construction, promising to become a hub of business innovation on Prince Edward Island.

Today the School of Business at the University of Prince Edward Island celebrated the progress made on its new state-of-the-art facility that has been under construction since early October. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, dignitaries and friends attended a morning reception at the Faculty Lounge. UPEI President Wade MacLauchlan and School of Business Dean Roberta MacDonald offered remarks, noting the impact the new home for the Business School and Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship will have on business education, research, and service.

"The new building is an exciting and historic milestone for the students, faculty, staff and alumni," said Roberta MacDonald. "It will be a major centre for business education and research for Prince Edward Island and beyond. We are thrilled with this exciting development."

The new building will see Marian Hall, which has been part of the University landscape since 1959, renovated and extended to provide 48,000 square feet of space. "This building will provide students with a cutting-edge interactive environment," said Dean MacDonald. "It will house classrooms, meeting spaces, public areas, offices, labs, and the Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship."

Small and medium business has always been a focus at the School of Business Administration, and the Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship (CEE) will enhance offerings to Island industries. The Tourism Research Centre, the PEI BioAlliance, and the ACOA Seed Capital program will be based in the CEE, creating links with the ground floor of PEI's major economic opportunities.

PEI Premier Pat Binns offered a toast to the future of the Business School, recognizing the importance of entrepreneurship on PEI. The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency sent written remarks, noting that the creation of a Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship at UPEI is an important initiative for the Island. Michael Schurman, chair of the UPEI Building a Legacy campaign, and Tim Banks, co-chair of the Business School's portion of the campaign, advocated strengthening relationships between the business community and the university for the benefit of all.

Professor Crystal McLeod and students Alicia Bremner and David McKenna presented the contents of a time capsule, created by business students, which will be positioned in the new building. Following the reception, student marshalls, led by a piper, took guests on a tour overlooking the construction site.

The School will increase its offerings to include new streams of undergraduate programs such as specializations in Entrepreneurship and Biotech Management, and proposed graduate degrees in Innovative Management and Biotech Management "I'm very excited about the new building," says third-year student T.J. Cummiskey. "It will create excellent opportunities and advantages for students and the business community alike."

With the growth of the Biotech industry on PEI, opportunities are being created in the and#145;business of science.' Dr. Tony Lucas is the Executive-in-Residence for Biotech Management, and is the liaison between the School of Business and the science-business community to help identify the needs of this industry. "The School of Business with its enhanced capabilities and new Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship will play a critical role in developing the necessary skills and people who will catalyze innovation for the growing bio-industry here and in the world," said Lucas.

The campaign to generate $6 million in private financial support for the development is being led by Tim Banks, President of the APM Group, and Dr. Roberta MacDonald. Banks has announced his own $100,000 pledge to the campaign and Chancellor Bill Andrew has made a private donation of $100,000. The provincial government has committed $4 million as part of a $25 million commitment for capital renewal at UPEI over 10 years. The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency is contributing $1.69 million to the Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship.

Island Studies Journal, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2006 is now available online. This journal issue packs 100 pages of information, consisting of three academic articles, a review essay, and an extensive book reviews section. Article and review essay contributors are included from Tasmania, Finland, Fiji, and Canada. One essay of particular interest to PEI readers relates to strategies for effective 'cold water' island tourism.

"UPEI has an obvious international advantage in spearheading the study of islands on their own terms," says Dr Godfrey Baldacchino, Canada Research Chair (Island Studies) at UPEI and the Executive Editor of the Journal. "The Journal continues to position us as a world centre for the critical study of island affairs. The work of various academics the world over who submit and review manuscripts and who pen book reviews is testimony that the journal has widespread credibility and recognition." The island studies website, where the journal is located, received over half a million hits in its first year of operation.

Island Studies Journal is the only regular scholarly journal published by UPEI's Faculty of Arts. It is peer reviewed, electronic, and freely downloadable from www.islandstudies.ca/journal.

Early childhood educators now have an opportunity to advance their studies and enhance their careers, thanks to the launch of the new Bachelor of Child and Family Studies degree offered jointly by the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) and Holland College.

"In the past, graduates of the Early Childhood Care and Education program at Holland College who wanted to go university, had to start over, since many universities, including UPEI, did not accept college level courses," says Dr. Lori Weeks, Associate Professor of Family and Nutritional Sciences at UPEI and the architect behind the degree. "For many, starting their education over is not realistic, so going to university simply wasn't an option."

Two years ago, Weeks recognized this education gap and set out to make university an option for early childhood educators, 98 per cent of whom are women according to the Organisation of Economic and Co-operative Development.

In January, UPEI will begin accepting students who have graduated from Holland College's Early Childhood Care and Education program to the new two-year university program.

"We're very proud of this partnership with Holland College. Now, students can transfer the entire two-year block of early childhood care and education courses from Holland College to UPEI and finish their degree in two years," says Dr. Vianne Timmons, Vice President of Academic Development at UPEI. "It's an example of the Island community pulling together to meet the changing needs of students and the community."

Students will be admitted on a competitive basis, based on their education and related work experience and can complete the degree either as a full- or part-time student. To further augment the hands-on learning experience in the Holland College program, the degree incorporates real-world experience through a series of applied placements in their last two years with UPEI.

A comprehensive, nationally recognized diploma program with stringent quality standards, Holland College's Early Childhood Care and Education program features content based on National Guidelines for Early Childhood Education programs.

"For many years, the college's early childhood educators have played a significant role in the first educational experiences of Island children," said Dr. Brian McMillan, President of Holland College. "For those educators who wish to pursue it, the degree program is a wonderful opportunity to further their learning."

Graduates from similar college programs other than Holland College will also be considered for acceptance into the degree program.

UPEI and Holland College have other educational partnerships including the Applied Degree in Print Journalism, the Bachelor in Education Degree in Human Resource Development, and various articulation agreements.

An anthropology graduate from East Bay, Cape Breton who is an intern with the Institute of Island Studies at the University of Prince Edward Island, in collaboration with the Mi'kmaq Confederacy of PEI, has been given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with the Williche people in Chile.

With the support of the Canadian International Development Agency, and the Atlantic Council of International Cooperation, Dolores Le Vangie leaves Canada on December 31 to begin a five-month international internship on the Island of Chiloand#233;. There, she will work with Bosque Modelo Chiloand#233; and the Williche Council of Chie to help identify potential uses of seaweed for indigenous economic development.

"This internship allows me to work among the Mi'kmaq people on Prince Edward Island and the Williche people on the Island of Chiloand#233;, Chile. Both of these indigenous groups have traditionally used marine plants as a form of medicinal healing and food," she explains.

Through interviews and participant observation, Dolores is collecting information on how the two indigenous cultures have traditionally used, and still use, seaweed today. "The Mi'kmaq people have helped me develop skills in documentation of traditional indigenous uses of marine plants. With these skills I will be able to help the Williche as well," Dolores explains. "The Williche people still have a large amount of traditional knowledge on their uses of marine plants and they want to be able to share their knowledge through educational displays and cultural exchanges."

She adds that there is also the potential to develop a cottage-scale industry in Chiloand#233; where the Williche would be able market value-added food, health, beauty, or agricultural products based on their traditional knowledge of seaweed as well as modern scientific information provided by the Institute of Island Studies.

Dolores' internship in Chile is just one example of a growing range of international opportunities that UPEI students are pursuing. The university has an agreement with CUSO and agreements with universities in Australia, Sweden, and the US that allow students from all faculties to earn credits in these countries towards their UPEI degrees. Similar agreements are being developed for New Zealand and Japan. In addition, there are numerous program-specific arrangements in place at UPEI for international work and study. Through the Faculty of Education alone, students specializing in international education have taught in over 20 different countries, from Thailand and Iceland to Russia and the Dominican Republic.

Island writer and UPEI English Department sessional lecturer Deirdre Kessler has been selected by the Tasmanian Writers' Centre for the 2007 Tasmanian-Prince Edward Island island-to-island writers' exchange. During the month-long residency Kessler will stay at a writers' retreat in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.

Deirdre Kessler teaches creative writing, children's literature, and composition with the UPEI English Department, and is author of many books for young people and fiction and poetry for adults. She is past recipient of the Prince Edward Island Award for Distinguished Contribution to the Literary Arts; in 2005 a chapbook of her poetry, "Subtracting by Seventeen," first-prize winner of the Milton Acorn Poetry Award, was published by Saturday Morning Chapbooks. This Christmas two of her stories were published in a new collection by Nimbus.

During the winter/spring 2007 semester, Kessler is teaching English 486: Advanced Creative Writing with a focus on writing for young people and English 245: Introduction to Children's Literature.

The Prince Edward Island-Tasmania writers' exchange was initiated in October 2006, when Austalian writer Danielle Wood spent a month at UPEI as writer-in-residence.

The writers' exchange is co-sponsored by the UPEI English Department, UPEI Institute of Island Studies, UPEI Dean of Arts, PEI Writers' Guild, and the Tasmanian Writers' Centre.

Today, the University of Prince Edward Island hosted a welcome reception for the two Canada Research Chairs (CRC) within the Faculty of Scienceand#151;Drs. Russell Kerr and Michael van den Heuvel.

"UPEI and Prince Edward Island benefit from the intellectual leadership that comes with the appointment of Dr. Kerr and Dr. van den Heuvel," says Wade MacLauchlan, President of UPEI. "Their strong research programs, scientific creativity and extensive collaborations add important dimensions to our very impressive portfolios of environmental and health research."

Dr. van den Heuvel, Department of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, studies the effects of agriculture and chemical use on freshwater and near-shore marine environments. With half its land area used for agricultural, PEI is a fitting place for van den Heuvel to uncover the impact of chemicals on fishes and help the province to better protect its river systems.

Dr. Kerr, Department of Chemistry, explores the ocean for organisms that produce natural products with therapeutic potential. Two general areas of research are the discovery of new medicines from marine organisms, and the development of biotech production methods of marine-derived medicines whose development has suffered due to the lack of a commercial supply.

For more information on their research please check the CRC website at http://www.chairs.gc.ca/

"The Canada Research Chair Program nurtures world-class scientists and cultivates a new generation of research talent. Top-notch researchers like Kerr and van den Heuvel provide strong research training for young scientists at UPEI," says Christian Lacriox, Dean of Science, UPEI.

Established in the year 2000, the Canada Research Chairs Program works to attract and retain the world's top researchers in Canada. These researchers work to address significant medical, scientific and social problems.

The PEI Home Economics Association donated copies of its new book today to all Island schools that offer home economics courses. The 350-page book documents the evolution of home economics in Prince Edward Island during the past century. Entitled "Who We Are: Our Heritage and Horizons," it includes stories of home economists and over 260 photographs. The book was written by members of the Home Economics History Committee: Estelle Reddin (editor), Heather Henry-MacDonald, Helen Bartlett, Doris Anderson, Irene Burge, and Dr. Jean Halliday MacKay (deceased).

Heather Henry-MacDonald, who served as chair of the UPEI Home Economics Department (now Family and Nutritional Sciences) until 1996, said the book is a comprehensive account of the tremendous contribution that home economists have made to Island life. The story begins in the early 1900s when the first domestic science class was offered at the Macdonald Consolidated School in Mount Herbert and continues through to the development of the vibrant Family and Nutritional Sciences department that exists today at UPEI.

"Home economists made a tremendous contribution to life in Prince Edward Island over the past century and we felt it was important to share their stories," she said. "Our book highlights their activities throughout four eras: the pioneer days of early North America, the two world wars and the great depression, the years between 1950 and 1969, and today's modern technological era."

She added, "Although the term home economics is rarely used today, people trained in the profession, whether they are teachers, dietitians, researchers or consultants, continue to make a tremendous contribution to Island families and communities."

Education Minister Mildred Dover said students will benefit from being able to access the rich information contained in the new book. "We are very pleased to add this book to our school library collections. It is not just an excellent history of the home economics profession, but it is also a wonderful account of Island life which is beautifully told by some very esteemed Island women," she said.

For more information on the book, contact Heather Henry MacDonald at 902 569 2391 or bpd@pei.sympatico.ca

A research project at the University of Prince Edward Island will help educators and parents across Canada to identify the most successful ways to include children with special needs within regular classrooms.

The Canadian Council of Learning has awarded $70,000 to Vianne Timmons, UPEI Vice-President of Academic Development, and Kim Critchley, UPEI Dean of Nursing, along with collaborators from across the country. Their proposal to identify the inclusive strategies that have the most positive impact on the health and well-being of children with disabilities was one of ten chosen from a total of 44 under the theme of Health and Learning.

"Research shows that including children with disabilities in the regular classroom positively impacts their academic achievement, social adjustment and interactions, and overall health," explains Dr. Timmons. "Studies have also shown that teachers are sometimes overwhelmed by the diversity in their classrooms and would like further knowledge and training on inclusive practices."

The funding award from the Canadian Council of Learning will allow the UPEI research team to carry out an analysis of Statistics Canada's Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS). This analysis will increase their knowledge about the most successful applications of inclusive education in the country.

Dr. Critchley explains that once the research team has gathered information about the best inclusive practices that are in place in Canada, it hopes to move on to the second phase of the project to provide this important information to the parents, administrators, and educators who need it. This is what is known as "knowledge transfer."

"The key issue here is that known effective practices on inclusive education are frequently not in the hands of teachers, parents and other service providers," she points out.

"It is appropriate for this project to be led by UPEI because Prince Edward Island is considered a Canadian leader in this area," says Dr. Timmons who sits on a national task force looking at research in inclusive practices. "Many of the best practices in inclusive education are evident in our PEI school system." She adds that the quality of Canada's educational system can be judged by the quality of education provided for the most vulnerable children.

Jody Misener, a fourth-year nursing student at the University of Prince Edward Island has been recognized nationally for her outstanding clinical performance. The Canadian Nursing Students' Association has awarded her the Sigma Theta Tau International Honour Society of Nursing Scholarship for Student Clinical Excellence. Nursing students from across Canada compete for this annual scholarship valued at $2000 US.

"I am honoured to have won this award which not only recognizes my excellence in clinical performance but also shows how tremendously important the faculty and clinical instructors are at the UPEI School of Nursing," says Misener.

She will accept her award at the 2007 Canadian Nursing Students' Association national conference in Toronto which takes place January 23 to 27. This year's theme is "Nursing: New heights, New frontiers."

This is the second time in recent years that a UPEI nursing student has carried off the national award for clinical excellence. In 2005 it was won by Melanie McCarthy.