91亚色 posted strong results in global rankings in this year鈥檚 Times High Education (THE) World University Rankings by Subject, competing against almost 1,500 universities across 11 subjects worldwide. 91亚色鈥檚 Osgoode Hall Law School鈥檚 held firmly with a 65th in the world spot, while rankings for programs in Medical & Health and Engineering & Technology subjects, a sign of the University鈥檚 growing momentum in these areas, also increased.

91亚色鈥檚 strength in Medical & Health subjects is bolstered with a new School of Medicine set to open in 2028. The medical school is being designed to strengthen community health through unique curriculum and physician training and will help meet Ontario鈥檚 urgent healthcare needs.

"Our upward trajectory in global standings reflects 91亚色鈥檚 growing expertise in health and medicine. By strengthening our research environment and innovative academic programming, we are building a robust foundation for our new School of Medicine within 91亚色鈥檚 Faculty of Health, where our researchers and learners are equipped to advance health equity for the diverse communities we serve," says School of Medicine Dean David Peters, Faculty of Health.

In addition, Psychology was ranked in the top 150 worldwide and in the top 10 nationally, along with Business & Economics and Law. Psychology and Engineering & Technology rose across all five pillars 鈥� teaching, research environment, research quality, industry and international outlook.

鈥淭his ranking reflects the strength of Osgoode鈥檚 academic community and the impact of the teaching, research, and scholarship taking place at the law school,鈥� says Dean of Osgoode Hall Law School Trevor Farrow. 鈥淚t鈥檚 encouraging to see that work recognized globally.鈥�

The subject ranking results follow on a year of positive results, including the , where the University scored 15 subject areas in the top 10 and is ranked sixth in Canada and second in Ontario for the Arts and Humanities, and in the top 100 worldwide for English language and literature. The University also went up three spots from seventh to fourth in the country for Geography, while 91亚色 ranked eighth in Canada and fourth in Ontario for Social Sciences and Management. The University also moved up 29 spots globally in the 2026 QS World University Rankings.

In the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings results, 91亚色 earned a top 40 spot demonstrating continued leadership in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.  And in the , 91亚色 placed in the top five as one of the best comprehensive universities in Canada, a spot it鈥檚 held for several consecutive years. It also ranked fourth for reputation, third for student scholarships and bursaries, and fourth for social sciences and humanities grants.

For more than a decade, 91亚色 has been named as one of Canada鈥檚 Greenest Employers and for the second consecutive year it also made the list for Canada鈥檚 Best Diversity Employers.

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Professor Emeritus Alan Young, a lawyer and legal scholar known for leading the challenge of Canada's prostitution laws before the country's top court, has died at age 69. Osgoode Dean Trevor Farrow says his death is "a profound loss" for the legal profession. Young was a central figure in a landmark Supreme Court case that struck down Canada's prostitution laws as unconstitutional in 2013 and forced the federal government to revise the legislation, reports The Canadian Press. He was also known for representing people with AIDS, cancer and multiple sclerosis who were charged for using medical marijuana, leading to federal regulations permitting its use. Young co-founded and directed 91亚色鈥檚 Innocence Project, investigating wrongful convictions and imprisonment. Canadian Lawyer magazine listed聽Young聽among the 25 most influential people in the legal profession over several years. In retirement, he became a playwright. ", Alan was a trailblazer who made huge contributions not only to Osgoode, but to the law and legal profession in Canada," says Farrow. Adam Parachin, a professor at Osgoode and one of Young's former students, says he was "blessed to have known" him. "Alan was brilliant and a 'one of a kind' character. His sharp wit made criminal law an early favourite of mine at Osgoode," Parachin says in a statement.

Professor Jennifer Mills talks about diet culture and the public discourse surrounding celebrities' bodies in light of the recent Wicked movie and press tour, and online discussions about how thin the two lead actors appear to be. Mills,聽who researches body image and eating disorders, says that diet culture today is being repackaged by narratives from the health and wellness industry as drugs that can cause weight loss are prescribed by doctors. "This may trick folks into thinking that these aren't diet culture messages or a diet culture product, but in reality, it is," says Mills to The Globe and Mail. In other words, she adds.

Professor and Dean Sarah Bay-Cheng weighs in on an apology issued by the Town of 91亚色 Historical Society after greeting cards featuring art made with AI were sold at its recent holiday market. Talking to CBC, Bay-Cheng points out there are also . "The images that are being used to train large language models as the basis of different AI have been scooping up a lot of images that have been created by individual and independent artists and posted online without attribution, without compensation," says Bay-Cheng.

Professor Yvonne Su speaks to the Los Angeles Times for a feature on Canada turning against immigrants. For the first time in a quarter-century, a majority of Canadians are saying there is too much immigration, with hate crimes on the rise along with rhetoric blaming newcomers for the country's economic problems. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government recently slashed the annual total allowed into the country. "," says Su. "Then we decided there were too many? We used them." Su has tracked a rise in anti-immigrant sentiment online, where videos of Canadians making racist statements have proliferated, as well as in the real world, where reports of hate crimes more than doubled between 2019 to 2023.

In an op-ed for The Conversation, Professor Ilan Kapoor writes about Canada's response to President Donald Trump's recent threats to impose a 25 per cent tariff on Canada and Mexico and Trump calling Trudeau "Governor" and Canada a state. "Trump's latest taunts to Trudeau, in fact, prove that in the months and years ahead," writes Kapoor and co-author in their psychoanalysis of Trump and his politics.

The Walls Have Eyes by Petra Molnar, a lawyer and anthropologist who co-runs the Refugee Law Lab at 91亚色, was selected by CBC Books for the . Based on years of researching borderlands across the world, lawyer and anthropologist Molnar examines how technology is being deployed by governments on the world's most vulnerable with little regulation.

Research by Professor Christine Till is referenced in a New 91亚色 Times' article about water fluoridation coming under scrutiny. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s skepticism about fluoride has become a focal point in the debate about whether he's suitable to run the nation's health department. In Till's highly publicized 2019 paper, researchers compared the IQ test scores of 512 young children in Canada to their mother's urinary fluoride levels during pregnancy, a proxy for fluoride intake. For every increase of one milligram per liter in urinary fluoride, they saw a 4.49 point drop in IQ in boys. The researchers found no relationship with IQ in girls. Till, along with other researchers, says there鈥檚 enough evidence at this point to suggest that .

Professor Stephanie Ben-Ishai talks to The Globe and Mail about a looming reduction in the maximum allowable annual percentage rate (APR) for loans in Canada, effective Jan. 1, that creditors can legally charge. Experts are urging Ottawa to expand the kinds of borrowing costs covered by the cap, warning the lower limit will likely spur high-cost lenders to turn to ancillary charges. There are questions about whether this is enough or the best way to regulate the high-cost credit market. Ben-Ishai says for example, could incentivize lenders to better assess the debt burden their clients are actually able to carry.

Professor Emeritus Paul Delaney talks to Toronto Star about the Geminid meteor shower which will peak Friday night and Saturday morning, bringing bright shooting star-like streaks to the sky in one of the best displays of the year. Delaney explains what a meteor shower is, how the Geminid shower differs, and .

Professor Sheetala Bhat writes about a recent violent confrontation at a Hindu temple in Brampton, Ont. between pro-Khalistan protesters and Hindu nationalists that has created further tensions between India and Canada since the slaying of a Canadian Sikh activist in British Columbia. "Several Canadian media outlets reported on the Brampton clash, but most did not highlight the role of far-right Hindu nationalists and the use of a controversial slogan chanted at the temple," writes Bhat. https://theconversation.com/how-indias-hindu-nationalist-rhetoric-played-a-role-in-the-violence-at-a-canadian-temple-243633

Do you have a new research study or an academic achievement to share? Contact media@yorku.ca with details. For daily 91亚色 in the News highlights, follow on X.

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TORONTO, May 10, 2023 鈥� Should Canada impose a wealth tax on its richest one per cent?

One of the country鈥檚 best-known journalists and a leading tax expert will debate that question May 25 at an event celebrating the 30th anniversary of Canada鈥檚 foremost graduate program in tax law.

Journalist Linda McQuaig and tax lawyer John Tobin of Torys LLP will go face to face to argue for and against a wealth tax as they join in marking the three-decade milestone for the Professional LLM in Taxation Law program offered by Osgoode Professional Development (OsgoodePD), the continuous learning division of Osgoode Hall Law School at 91亚色.

The special anniversary event is slated for May 25, 2023 at 5:30 p.m. at Osgoode鈥檚 downtown Toronto campus, 1 Dundas St. W. on the 26th floor.

It will also include a panel discussion featuring Chief Justice Marc No褢l of the Federal Court of Appeal, Justice Siobhan Monaghan of the Federal Court of Appeal and Heather Evans, CEO and executive director of the Canadian Tax Foundation. They will be joined by program co-director and Osgoode tax law professor Jinyan Li, as well as Osgoode tax law Professor Emeritus Neil Brooks. 

鈥淥ur offline and online offerings in the program are unparalleled in the country,鈥� said Li. 鈥淭he program prepares people to become better tax practitioners. And on the instructor side, we have some of the top people in the country.鈥�

Originally developed by Neil Brooks and Scott Wilkie, a tax law senior counsel with Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP and a distinguished professor of practice at Osgoode, the Professional LLM in Taxation Law filled a need for concentrated, systematic instruction in the area of tax law, accessible notably to students who had already begun practising in tax.

Over three decades, several graduates have gone on to judgeships with the Tax Court of Canada and the Federal Court of Appeal. And numerous students have won awards for papers they have written.

鈥淚n ways we think are different from other universities, Osgoode has made a real effort to create a focus on taxation as a core law school discipline,鈥� said Wilkie, 鈥渁nd one of the consequences of that is it鈥檚 been able to draw on a rich adjunct pool with not only academic depth but deep practice experience.鈥�

The program鈥檚 part-time and full-time options make it available to students from across Canada 鈥� both lawyers and professionals in the field. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 a program that works for a lot of people,鈥� said OsgoodePD鈥檚 Director, Professional Graduate and International Programs Meghan Thomas. 鈥淚t has a lot of flexibility and makes for a rich environment in learning.鈥�

The full-time program tends to attract many internationally trained lawyers and junior lawyers who are already practicing in Canada, said Thomas. By contrast, the part-time program draws more experienced Canadian lawyers and non-legal professionals working in the taxation field.

John Sorensen, a graduate of the Professional LLM in Taxation Law who now teaches in it, said the experience gave his career a significant boost. He currently serves as the Toronto-based co-leader for tax dispute resolution with Gowling WLG.

Sorensen said the program provides a special opportunity to dive deeply into tax law with like-minded professionals 鈥� and its unique combination of academic and policy analysis with practical and vocational training sets it apart.

鈥淲hat it offers the tax bar is the chance for practitioners to up their game both academically and practically,鈥� he added.

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91亚色 U legal expert co-authored report analyzing research from three African countries and Canada, highlights benefit of grassroots support in addressing global justice crisis

TORONTO, April 21, 2023 鈥� Community legal clinics, paralegal services, social workers and others assisting those who cannot easily access legal help, are a few ways of narrowing the gap in accessing justice that鈥檚 prevalent across the globe, says 91亚色 legal expert , co-author of a new international report released today.

The report, , is a review of recent studies conducted by researchers in Kenya, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Canada, to understand how effective grassroots support systems are in alleviating, if not eliminating, barriers to justice.

is part of Community-Based Justice Research (CBJR) project, funded by Canada鈥檚 International Development Research Centre. The Canadian Forum on Civil Justice (CFCJ), based at Osgoode Hall Law School at 91亚色, played a lead role in co-ordinating the project.

According to Farrow, associate dean of research at Osgoode, the inaccessibility of legal services is a common issue, be it in Kenya, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Canada, or rest of the world. In fact, the United Nations has identified access to justice as a global crisis that 鈥� through its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 鈥� requires collective efforts and shared solutions, continues Farrow.

According to earlier research from the CFCJ, approximately 50 per cent of adult Canadians will experience a legal problem in any given three-year period. 鈥淟ike the rest of the world, there is an access-to-justice crisis in Canada,鈥� notes Farrow, who also serves as chair of the CFCJ. 鈥淟aw and legal issues are everywhere, but very few people can afford legal help.鈥�

Grassroots-level support can help change this situation for the better, says CFCJ Senior Research Fellow Ab Currie, who also co-authored the report.

鈥淕etting access to trained social workers at drop-in shelters, support workers at community centres, paralegals, religious advisors and many others who work and interact with people where and when they most need help, are primary goals and benefits of community-based justice,鈥� explains Farrow. 鈥淭he core idea is to find ways to get legal services and law-related help to people in the places that they live and work, and to identify 鈥� and ideally avoid 鈥� legal problems or to help address them before they get worse.鈥�

鈥淕enerally, there鈥檚 a benefit to having these services in the community and the recent research indicates that the cost-benefit analysis is positive for these community justice services,鈥� he adds. 鈥淭here are also non-financial benefits of trust, access and awareness when it comes to supporting local help for local communities.鈥�

South African researcher Busiwana Winne Martins, of the Centre for Community Justice, agrees. 鈥淏ecause support workers are close to the community, they understand their problems and socio-economic conditions,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey share the same geographic space and culture and can negotiate plural legal systems and determine how to straddle the formal law and traditional African customary law.鈥�

People who work in the grassroots justice structures, especially community-based paralegals, are able to translate difficult legal and bureaucratic language into frames that local people can understand and help them to resolve their justice issues, she adds.

Farrow agrees that managing problems within a community and with the help of community members, is often simpler, quicker and allows for community values and interests to be present in the process. 鈥淐ommunity justice initiatives can provide exciting opportunities for innovative and inclusive problem-solving that allows for important justice options and strategies,鈥� he notes.

To help solve the access-to-justice crisis, Farrow concludes, 鈥渃ommunity-based justice provides significant and exciting opportunities for meaningful assistance 鈥� in addition to numerous other options and processes, including strong legal institutions.鈥�

With the addition of access-to-justice to the United Nations SDGs, calling on all nations to work toward equal access by 2030 is a significant move and driver for action, according to the report.

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TORONTO, Monday, August 21, 2017 鈥� This week in Thunder Bay, more than 25 Aboriginal youth from across the province will gather to develop ideas for technology solutions that aim to improve youth access to justice in their communities in a way that is reflective of Aboriginal experiences and responsive to Aboriginal traditions.

Funded by the Law Foundation of Ontario, and organized and designed by the Winkler Institute for Dispute Resolution at 91亚色鈥檚 Osgoode Hall Law School, this youth-driven and centred workshop will help accelerate the implementation of the recommendations found in Feathers of Hope 鈥� Justice & Juries: A First Nations Youth Action Plan for Justice. A Youth Leadership Team comprised of Aboriginal youth from Ontario will facilitate and direct the workshop.

This workshop aims to create a safe and supportive space for Aboriginal youth participants to take ownership over the exploration of technology as a means to address issues related to the justice system and police relations. It will culminate with a listening table comprised of a wide range of justice stakeholders and community members and leaders who will be presented with the ideas and prototypes by the youth that have been developed and designed in the days prior.

This project is planned in close collaboration with the Ontario Justice Education Network, Justice For Children and Youth, and the Feathers of Hope initiative (supported by the Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth).

Jean-Paul Bevilacqua, Project Coordinator, Winkler Institute, is available for comment on the workshop.

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The Winkler Institute is based at Osgoode Hall Law School, the Winkler Institute for Dispute Resolution is a vibrant center for research on innovation in dispute resolution, access to justice and the future of the legal profession. Our projects range from exploring to the potential for human centered design and legal technology to transform justice services, to innovation in ADR and dispute prevention, to new ways of thinking about the profession, legal education and empowerment. Since opening its doors in 2014, the Winkler Institute has become a leading voice in Canadian justice innovation and reform.

91亚色 is known for championing new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-discipline programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91亚色 students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world鈥檚 most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91亚色 U is an internationally recognized research university 鈥� our 11 faculties and 26 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91亚色 is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 295,000 alumni. 91亚色 U's fully bilingual Glendon campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Contact:
Jean-Paul Bevilacqua, Project Coordinator, Winkler Institute, jbevilacqua@osgoode.yorku.ca

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