Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Higher education analytics giant acquires Waterloo-grown 1Mentor

By Jasmin English and Naomi Grosman. This is an excerpt of an article originally published on Waterloo News.

Waterloo-based 1Mentor’s recent acquisition by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), the world’s largest global higher education network, underscores the urgent need for their platform and the data it provides higher education institutions. 

1Mentor’s artificial intelligence (AI) enabled technology sifts through employers’ job postings to provide insights into employers' needs and identify skills required for success. It also equips higher education institutions with the information they need to adjust programming to address the skills gap.  

It was a very real problem, identified during his time at the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business, that led Esteban Veintimilla (MBET ’22, BMath ’18) to launch 1Mentor — a pioneering technology to transform the way higher education adapts to a rapidly changing world.  

While working at the Conrad School, Veintimilla supported students in finding their first work experience through the Bridging Entrepreneurs to Students (BETS) program. But he quickly learned that equipping students with the right skills to succeed in today’s new world of work was a real challenge. 

“I realized it’s not just a ‘me’ problem. It’s a systemic, global problem that I experienced first-hand. My role was student and employer-facing, so I could see both sides of the coin.”  

That’s why it’s no surprise to Veintimilla that the World Economic Forum recently reported, in its Future of Jobs Report 2023, that 44 per cent of workers’ skills will be disrupted in the next five years.  

Read the rest of the article on Waterloo News.

If you come to FASS this year, you'll be in Good Company

The FASS Theatre Company is taking its show on the road (well, a road, anyway) as it heads to the KW Little Theatre on Princess Street in UpTown Waterloo this week for its 2024 production: "Good Company."

"Good Company is an original musical comedy about evil billionaires and their antics, plus the friends, enemies, family, employees, and co-op students who help, hinder, and laugh at them along the way," says a post on FASS's Facebook page. 

FASS is short for Faculty, Alumni, Staff, and Students, and puts on an original musical show every February. Famously, everyone who shows up to audition gets a part in the production somewhere. Performances are scheduled for Thursday, February 8 and Friday, February 9 at 7:00 p.m., with a matinee on Saturday, February 10 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $20.

With this performance, FASS celebrates 62 years of presenting off-off-off-Broadway amateur theatre to the University of Waterloo and the Kitchener-Waterloo region.

Volunteer Fair connects students with community agencies

A message from The Centre for Career Development and EDGE.

The Centre for Career Development and EDGE will be hosting the Winter 2024 Volunteer Fair on Tuesday, February 6 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Student Life Centre Great Hall. This event offers students an opportunity to meet local organizations that are recruiting volunteers.

Representatives from 30 local organizations will be present to speak with current students about their organization’s mission and volunteering needs. 

Volunteering is a great way to develop skills and gain experiences that can be showcased on a résumé and discussed in an interview. For those looking to give back to the community, it is a fulfilling way to contribute to local causes. It also provides an excellent opportunity for networking. 

For more information, please contact Lindy Bancroft, Career Programming and Events Specialist. 

The University of Waterloo and the Georgia Institute of Technology forge partnership focused on AI

A message from Waterloo International.

The University of Waterloo and the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia representing Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) USA, have officially entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen academic and research ties between the two institutions. The MOU signifies a commitment to fostering collaborative initiatives in research, education, and other areas of mutual interest. Both universities, recognized for their global impact and innovation, are eager to embark on this journey of cooperation.

Charmaine Dean, Vice-President, Research & International shared “The University of Waterloo is pleased to embark on a new collaboration with Georgia Tech, featuring faculty and student exchanges, joint research projects, dual degrees and conferences. Strengthening ties between our institutions through this collaboration creates a dynamic environment for our faculty and students, to foster innovation in many areas of mutual excellence”.

“Georgia Tech is excited to see its NSF AI Institute for Advances in Optimization (AI4OPT) under the leadership of Prof. Van Hentenryck, partner with experts from the Waterloo Artificial Intelligence Institute of the University of Waterloo. I am really looking forward to the impact that this partnership will have in advancing the fundamental knowledge of AI, in further expanding its applications, and in enabling its wider adoption,” notes Prof Bernard Kippelen, Vice Provost for International Initiatives at Georgia Tech.  

This collaboration is poised to elevate the academic and research landscape of both institutions, promoting global engagement and creating opportunities for students and faculty to thrive in an interconnected world. For more information or to explore international partnership opportunities please contact Waterloo International.

Board of Governors meets today and other notes

The University's Board of Governors meets today at 1:30 p.m. in NH 3407. The agenda package can be found on the Secretariat's website. A synopsis of the meeting will be provided in the Daily Bulletin following the meeting, and the minutes of the February 6, 2024 meeting will be posted to the Secretariat's website once approved by the Board. Questions may be directed to board@uwaterloo.ca. 

Tax season is here and AFSA is back with its FREE Tax Clinic 2024! A group of trained volunteers will provide free tax return services for low-income individuals and families. To see if you qualify for our FREE services, please visit http://www.uwafsa.ca/taxclinic today! The link also includes information on how to receive our tax-filing service.

As the WUSA election continues to heat up, the Imprint Debate will be held tonight from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Student Life Centre student lounge (formerly the Bombshelter Pub). A student media-focused debate has long been a feature of student elections on campus. Student reporters will be asking questions of candidates for President, Vice-President, and Directors.

Mark Morton, of the Centre for Teaching Excellence, has just published a novel called The Headmasters. Set in northern Ontario, the novel concerns a small community subjugated by alien creatures that attach themselves to people’s backs. Renowned sci-fi author Robert Sawyer has high praise: “Mark Morton’s The Headmasters is a brilliant science-fiction debut from one of Canada’s best-loved nonfiction writers. This compelling YA novel is a spot-on updating of Robert Heinlein’s classic The Puppet Masters for the new millennium, with intricate world-building, a great science-fiction puzzle, and — ironic for a novel about suppressed memories — a main character you’ll never forget. I loved it.