
Winning Program Incorporates Work Skills into Curriculum
Ottawa - Polytechnique Montréal’s complementary doctoral training program is the 2016 winner of the CAGS Award for Excellence and Innovation for Enhancing the Graduate Student Experience.

Canada’s Distinguished Dissertation Award: Fuelling a Sustainable Future
Ottawa - A young chemical engineer conducting groundbreaking research into fuel cell technology has won the 2016 Canada’s Distinguished Dissertation Award in the category of Engineering/Medical Science/Natural Science.

15 September 2016
Canada’s Distinguished Dissertation Award: History Revisited
Ottawa - A successful author of books on history, business, and sport has won Canada’s Distinguished Dissertation Award for 2016. “Stone of Power,” Douglas Hunter’s (York U, PhD History) study of how North America’s Indigenous people have been portrayed and their cultural history sometimes erased, was the ultimate choice of the judges.

22 August 2016
How a Walk in the Woods Improves Your Dissertation
Thoreau knew it. So did Charles Darwin and Frank Lloyd Wright.
Being outdoors is good for your spirit. It bolsters creativity and problem solving. And it helps you see the world differently.
»»» more info

14 June 2016
Canadian universities and the private sector are partnering at unprecedented rates – the majority of those with graduate programs report some degree of involvement with this trend.
»»» more info

6 June 2016
Canada’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Winners: Clarity, Savvy and Making a Difference
Ottawa - A PhD candidate working on the development of a pharmaceutical treatment as an option to delicate surgery is Canada’s Three Minute Thesis champion.

31 May 2016
A WORKSHOP FOR NEW(ISH) DEANS AND NEAR DEANS (AKA ASSOCIATE DEANS)
For the first time and at the request of our members, CAGS will hold a workshop for new, newish, Associate and prospective Deans on November 2, the day preceding the CAGS conference.

11 May 2016
Opinion: The Business Case for Hiring PhDs.
Ontario businessman Ian Baines thinks PhDs and business can be a great fit. He should know, he has worked with plenty over his 40 year career as a “serial entrepreneur.” But he has some advice for students, grad schools and the business community to optimize the potential of Canada’s PhDs.

9 May 2016
Who is Canada’s Favourite 3MT Presenter?
Now is your chance to vote for Canada’s Choice in the national 3Minute Thesis competition. Visit the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies 3MT page for videos of the 11 finalists chosen from regional competitions. Voting is open between noon Pacific Time on May 9 and noon Pacific Time May 19, 2016.

Please read this CAGS new Draft Strategic Plan that will be considered for your approval at the next AGM on November 4, 2016.

3 May 2016
Webinar: Using Your PhD to Build a Career.
We asked the organizers of an annual online career conference geared to PhDs to explain the event. They obliged and are also offering CAGS members (and their students) a discount.
»»» Here’s a report.

24 March 2016
How the Federal Budget Plays Out for Graduate Education
Budget 2016 paid attention to where the next generation of innovation will come from and for the most part, it got it right.

10 March 2016
Resourcefulness? Check out Canada’s PhDs.
The impact of a faltering loonie and the collapse of energy prices are the latest reminders that Canada has to get serious about a transition to a knowledge economy.

18 February 2016
2016 GSE Award: Improving Retention, Completion.
The Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS) is pleased to announce the 2016 CAGS Award for Excellence and Innovation in Enhancing the Graduate Student Experience (GSE Award).

12 February 2016
Study: Are PhDs getting Tenure?
A third of graduates with doctoral degrees from Ontario universities are in tenure-track positions somewhere in the world, with half of them working as professors in Canada, research from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario(HECQO) has found.

12 February 2016
Listen Up: CBC Radio Explores Work of PhDs.
What happens when two creative radio producers team up with PhDs to present their work? Fascinating discussions and an audio experience that CBC Radio audiences are loving for one… but also a master class in communicating for students who want to engage beyond the traditional.

18 January 2016
Three Minute Thesis: The Power of the Spoken Word
Canada’s 3MT competition is gearing up at universities across the country. Training sessions and workshops to help grad students communicate their research and engage their audiences are going from St. John’s to Victoria.

12 January 2016
Searching for Canada's Top Dissertation
It is an exciting time of year here at CAGS when we put out this annual call. In partnership with publishers ProQuest-UMI we have been seeking out the best dissertations in Canada for more than 20 years.

11 December 2015
Prepared by UBC Dean and Vice-Provost of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Susan Porter and Assistant Dean Jennifer Phelps, the work outlines an integrated approach to doctoral student scholarship and career development that is being piloted at the institution.

12 November 2015
Queen’s University’s Vice-Provost and Dean, Dr. Brenda Brouwer has been appointed president of the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies for the 2015-2016 term.

12 November 2015
Why grad students do what they do?
How do they see their future – and how will their work impact their neighbours and their country?

26 October 2015
Member schools of the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies reflect a diversity of perspectives, focus and university cultures. This document highlights the thrust of reports from CAGS members who took part in the SSHRC’s Imagine Canada’s Future initiative.

8 October 2015
Refugees, War and Sense of Place: Researcher Cited for Excellence
Research into how political violence and war affects children’s sense of place has won the 2015 Distinguished Dissertation Award for Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
more info . . .

5 October 2015
DDA Winner: “Cutting Edge Research with a Conscience”
A University of Victoria researcher with a drive to prevent human infectious diseases, especially those that affect the developing world, has won the 2015 Canada’s Distinguished Dissertation Award in the Engineering, Medical Science and Natural Science category.
more info . . .

28 September 2015
Queen’s University Recognized for Work on Student Wellness
SGS Habitat: Resources to Live Well and Stay Well in Graduate School has won the 2015 CAGS/ETS Award for Excellence and Innovation in Enhancing the Graduate Student Experience.
more info . . .

25 September 2015
Grad Research in an Interconnected World
“What new ways of learning, particularly in higher education, will Canadians need to thrive in an evolving society and labour market?”
more info . . .

29 May 2015
UPEI To Host Graduate Research Conference
The University of Prince Edward Island is hosting a Multidisciplinary Graduate Research Conference this summer. The theme of the conference is, “Emerging Scholars: Illuminating Graduate Research.”
more info . . .

27 April 2015
Does Canada Have Too Many PhDs?
According to researcher and blogger Melonie Fullick, any discussion of PhD “overproduction” needs to consider the question of the purpose of the PhD. “When different groups cannot agree on this purpose,” she writes, “at least in terms coherent enough that they can produce policies and programs that align, then doctoral students are the ones who lose out.” You can read her whole report in our Rethinking the PhD section.
more info . . .

25 April 2015
Future Research: Grad Students Address Key Question
What could be more important in our academic community than engaging our brightest minds in the imagining and decision-making process of designing Canada’s research future? Graduate students from Western and University of Windsor did just that recently as part of a nation-wide dialogue on Imagining Canada’s Future.
more info . . .

6 April 2015
CAGS will be engaging humanities and social sciences graduate students in some straight talk about opportunities and challenges for social innovation, research, and building our knowledge capital.
more info . . .

23 March 2015
The well-being of graduate students studying at Canadian universities is of prime importance to the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies. And our members work hard to respond to the needs of students.
more info . . .

11 March 2015
Is graduate education keeping pace with the changing realities students’ lives, passions and motivations? In this short commentary, Eric Weissman, winner of 2014 Canada’s Distinguished Dissertation Award, outlines some of the challenges and obstacles in graduate education. This is part of the CAGS project – ReThinking the PhD.
more info . . .

9 January 2015
Searching for Canada's top dissertation
Are you working with or know of a doctoral student whose dissertation makes a unique contribution to their academic field? Then check out Canada’s Distinguished Dissertation Award 2015 call for nominations.
more info . . .

21 November 2014
Laval University researcher, biochemist and dean Marie Audette has stepped in to the CAGS presidency. She takes up the position as the organization begins a serious examination of the role and impact of graduate education.
more info . . .

9 September 2014
Federal Budget 2015 and Beyond
Consistent investment in graduate education and research is an important strategy for government in order to maintain a strong economy, an engaged workforce and healthy communities.
more info . . .

3 September 2014
HOMELESSNESS STUDY WINS 2014 DISTINGUISHED DISSERTATION AWARD
A gritty study of shanty towns and tent cities, has won this year’s 2014 Distin-guished Dissertation Award from the Canadian Association of Graduate Studies. Concordia University’s Eric Weissman’s (PhD Indi) multi-media, interdisciplinary work is the culmination of 13years immersed in the issue. more info . . .

26 August 2014
Wilfrid Laurier University: Innovative Approach Gets National Recognition.
Ottawa - The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (FGPS) at Wilfrid Laurier University is the winner of the 2014 CAGS/ETS Award for Excellence and Innovation in Enhancing the Graduate Student Experience. more info . . .

06 August 2014
Dal Researcher is the 2014 Distinguished Dissertation Winner
Dalhousie University’s Daniel Boyce (PhD Biology) compiled the unprecedented collection of historical and recent oceanographic data to document declines in phytoplankton. more info . . .

16 June 2014
Congratulations to Canada’s 3MT Winners
Western University’s Joseph Donohue is the 2014 Canada’s 3MT winner. He is a Master’s biochemical engineering student.
more info . . .

28 May 2014
Congrats to our 3MT Francophone Partners!
Competitive. Exciting. Fun. That’s the description we’re hearing about the recent Ma thèse en 180 secondes competition.It took place during the Association francophone pour le savoir (ACFAS) conference at Concordia University in Montreal.

4 Apr 2014
CAGS Co-Ordinator Lise Benoit received nominations from across the country
They came from right across the country - Victoria to St. John’s. In all, our co- ordinator, Lise Benoit, received 54 nomination packages for this year’s CAGS/ UMI Awards.

24 Mar 2014
CAGS/PROQUEST Distinguished Dissertation Winners: Where are they now?
For the past 20 years CAGS judges have reviewed some of the country’s best PhD work in search of Canada’s most distinguished dissertation.

21 Feb 2014
What Makes a Grad School Great?
A combo of many things, really. People, programs and professionalism are the main ingredients.
Nominations are now open for the annual CAGS/ETS award. Entries will be accepted until April 30, 2014. Guidelines for the nomination process can be found here.

7 Feb 2014
Expand Research Strategy: CAGS Paper
The health of Canada’s graduate education system is a critical factor in a competitive global environment. And ultimately the creativity and sophistication of post graduates is key to an exceptional and vital society. That’s the message CAGS has delivered to the federal government as it reviews its science and technology strategy.

22 Jan 2014
Searching for Canada's Top Dissertation of 2014
The nomination process is now CLOSED for Canada’s Distinguished Dissertation Awards.
It is an exciting time of year here at CAGS when we put out this annual call. In partnership with publishers ProQuest-UMI we have been seeking out the best dissertations in Canada for 20 years.

31 Oct 2013
ACFAS and CAGS invite Canadian universities to hold their own French language 3MT® competitions and to send the winner to the finals in Montreal in May 2014!

26 Aug 2013
Grad Studies Direction, Relevancy: Conference Theme
Montreal - Participants at the 2013 CAGS Conference will be looking at options for the future of Canadian graduate studies when the event takes place here November 3-6, 2013.

15 Aug 2013
Updating PhD Defence: Memorial University Wins Innovation Award
Ottawa - A new program that encourages examiners to attend the dissertation defence process remotely has won the 2013 CAGS/ETS Award Excellence and Innovation in Enhancing the Graduate Student Experience.

12 Aug 2013
Inside Look at Immigrant HIV Testing Wins Top Prize
Ottawa - A critical analysis of Canada’s immigration system and the mandatory HIV testing of prospective immigrants and refugees has been awarded the 2013 CAGS/Proquest –UMI Distinguished Dissertation Award.

06 Aug 2013
CAGS 2013 Dissertation Award: Cracking An Evolutionary Mystery
Ottawa - A study about the evolutionary history and population patterns of the iconic North American Mountain Goat has won the CAGS/UMI-PROQUEST Distinguished Dissertation Award for 2013 (Engineering, Medical Science and Natural Science Category).