And, that pressure is not limited to global and limited-time events. Across concerns, festivals and sports, getting through the venue gate has become a costly and frustrating experience for fans as tickets vanish instantly only to reappear at inflated prices.

Recent examples illustrate the scale of the problem. When Coldplay performed in Toronto in July 2025, fans watched seats disappear on Ticketmaster while waiting in online queues, only to reappear on resale sites for up to $1,600. During the Blue Jays’ World Series run later that year, game tickets surged from roughly $400 to $2,000 within hours.

The trend has proven significant enough that earlier this year the Ontario government stepped into the fight over soaring ticket prices.

“We’re putting ticket scalpers on notice: your days of ripping people off are done,” Premier Doug Ford posted on social media, announcing the proposal of new consumer protections that would make it illegal to resell tickets above face value. The Putting Fans First Act, he proposed, would apply to any platform handling ticket sales – Ticketmaster, StubHub and SeatGeek, for instance – ending what he called the “digital wild west.”

For fans, the message resonated with feelings of being exploited – and not just by the resale market driving up the price of admission.

Pollstar reports that average ticket prices for the top 100 global concert tours rose from $96.17 in 2019 to $132.62 in 2025 – an increase of nearly 38 per cent, compared to average inflation in Canada of about 21 per cent over the same period.

91ŃÇÉ« scholars say that outrage over ticket prices touches something deeper – a marketplace built to capitalize on scarcity, not serve audiences. Their research on cultural economics and digital labour shows the real bottlenecks sit with the ticketing system itself, where platform algorithms feed the frenzy they claim to fix.

While policymakers continue to debate how to respond, there is no clear consensus on how to rein in costs without disrupting the system that funds live events.

Scalpers are part of the equation, but they are not the whole story. Large promotors, ticketing platforms, artists and even fans all play a role in sustaining the current model.

So what caused the market to move in this direction?

Markus Giesler, a professor of marketing at 91ŃÇɫ’s and former music producer who studies how markets shape human behaviour, points to a shift in how the industry makes money.

Prior to the death of the CD and birth of streaming services like Spotify, concerts were largely viewed as a way to promote and support record sales. As streaming platforms reshaped the economics of music – where artists went from earning tangible revenues from CD sales to making a fraction of a penny per stream – touring and selling “merch” became the primary source of income for many artists.

Giesler says this shift in economics, paired with a growing popularity over the last decade of “scaled-up, social media-mediated, massive concert spectacles,” also explains the rising cost of live entertainment.

“The industry noticed large festivals and live music events could be priced differently and be designed at a much larger scale,” he says, noting the bigger the event, the higher the cost, which translates to more dollars in the pockets of artists.

His observation is backed by data from the American Economic Liberties Project, which shows touring rose from 82 per cent of artists’ income in 2010 to roughly 95 per cent in 2022.

However, as touring revenues increased, so did the complexity of how tickets are priced; artists, agents, event promotors, venues and ticketing companies all take a share. Promotors compete for tours based on projected sales, while players like Live Nation – the largest concert promoter worldwide that not only promotes shows, but also operates venues and owns Ticketmaster – can capture revenue at multiples stages of the transaction.

What this means in practice is that the same company can book the show, control the venue and manage ticket sales. Regulators in Canada and the U.S. are now scrutinizing that concentration of power, arguing it may limit competition and continue to drive up costs.

Within this system, ticket prices are set by the artist and their management team. Ticketing platforms sell those tickets on the venue’s behalf and add service fees. A 2019 Competition Bureau review found that, in Canada, those fees exceeded 20 per cent and, in some cases, reached 65 per cent of the original price.

Additional pricing tools have further influenced the market, including Ticketmaster’s “dynamic pricing” model introduced in 2022. This tool – framed as a way to deter scalpers – adjusts prices in real time based on demand, and is widely used for large scale tours.

91ŃÇÉ« economist Matthew Brzozowski, an associate professor at the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, says limiting resale markets does not eliminate financial risk – it shifts it.

The risk has to land somewhere, he says, noting if it cannot be absorbed through resale, it may show up as higher base prices, additional fees or premium tiers.

Those premiums increasingly are seen at the checkout as priority access, VIP packages and add-ons that resemble insurance.

Despite higher costs, demand remains strong. Researchers say the for many fans, live events can be tied to identity and belonging, making price sensitivity less predictable.

“Desirability is the be-all-end-all,” Giesler says. “We have to get tickets... life is short. Everybody wants to go and everybody wants to be able to talk about it and post about it.”

That dynamic helps explain why costs continue to soar. Even when fans recognize prices as excessive, the draw of shared cultural moments keeps them in the queue.

That kind of momentum is hard to break, even if dynamic pricing is outlawed or companies like Live Nation are taken to task.

“A fan’s identity has always been about devotion,” Giesler says.

And increasingly, showing that devotion means paying the price.

With files from Andrew Seale 

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In a historic first, Canada’s 2026 long-form census asks respondents about their sexual orientation, adding vital demographic evidence to the mandatory survey used to guide public funding and infrastructure planning.

For Nick Mulé, it is a shift that has been decades in the making.

"Many of us feel this is long overdue," says MulĂ©, professor at 91ŃÇÉ«'s and Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. "I was one of many people who have been advocating for this, going back to the 1990s."

The question – which asks respondents to identify as heterosexual; lesbian or gay; bisexual or pansexual; or to write their own answers – appears on the long-form questionnaire sent to roughly 25 per cent of Canadian households. While Statistics Canada has collected sexual orientation data through smaller specialized surveys before, adding it to the census gives the findings a broader national reach and a different level of public visibility.

"The census is much larger. It goes right across Canada, and it's also mandatory," says Mulé. "It lends legitimacy to these populations, raising their visibility."

But Mulé says visibility alone is not the point, and the more consequential argument is about evidence – and what its absence has cost.

When community organizations doing frontline work with 2SLGBTQIA+ populations have approached governments and funders to address their clients' needs, they have often been told the same thing: without data, resources cannot flow.

"The government acknowledges they believe you, that it probably is true there is a struggle out there, but asks us to give hard evidence," Mulé explains.

That evidence gap is central to MulĂ©'s research. He is project director of 2SLGBTQ+ Poverty in Canada: Improving Livelihood and Social Wellbeing, a 91ŃÇÉ«-hosted national study examining poverty among 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. Early findings from this project's national survey reflect what frontline workers have long reported: these populations face significant and compounding hardships.

Census evidence on sexual orientation could deepen that picture considerably. Mulé points to housing, health care, employment, education, income and social services as areas where 2SLGBTQIA+ people face disproportionate challenges due to discrimination, stigma and bias – barriers that differ meaningfully depending on life stage, from youth to seniors.

"Not everyone experiences those things the same way," he says. "It's important that those links are made between one's social location and the kind of challenges they're facing."

The categories included in the census question, Mulé says, are reasonable, and the write-in option is an important safeguard for those whose identity does not fit the options. He acknowledges, however, that open-ended responses create complexity on the research end, as analysts must decide how to group and interpret varied self-descriptions.

More pressing concerns involve privacy, trust and the particular vulnerability of young respondents. Many 2SLGBTQIA+ people have not made their sexual orientation public, and disclosing such information on a government form is considered risky by some.

Those ages 15 and older can fill out the long-form census; however, in most households, an adult who completes the form on behalf of all members. This raises concerns that younger individuals may not be accurately represented if adults are not aware of their sexual orientation.

"Those are some of the conundrums," Mulé says. "It's great on the one hand to include it, but Statistics Canada needs to be aware that there is a sensitivity attached to this when it comes to people's comfort level with disclosing this information."

Mulé frames the census change within a longer arc. Sexual orientation has long been protected under human rights legislation in every province and territory, and federally, for years. Yet, legal recognition has not brought an end to discrimination.

For Mulé, having these communities counted in the census – and having that data inform policy, funding and services – is part of closing that gap.

"It really elevates the recognition and legitimacy of these groups in Canada," he says. “By gathering data specific to the realities of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, governments can get a clearer picture of what these communities are facing and what resources, supports and services are needed to equitably meet those needs.”

With files from Mzwandile Poncana

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At this year's Canadian Screen Awards, presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, 91ŃÇɫ’s excellence in Canadian screen-based storytelling was represented across the (AMPD), the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) and Glendon College.

Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie led several film-related wins, with 91ŃÇÉ« alumni involved across multiple categories, including Best Motion Picture. Matthew Miller (MFA ’16) was part of the producing team recognized for the top prize, alongside Matt Greyson (BFA ’08). Matt Johnson (MFA ’16) received honours for Achievement in Music – Original Song as well as Performance in a Supporting Role, Comedy. Craft recognition for the film also included Adam Clark (BFA ’11) for Achievement in Sound Mixing and Luca Tarantini (BA ’13) for Achievement in Visual Effects.

Elsewhere in film, Iris Ng (BA ’01) earned Best Cinematography in a Feature-Length Documentary for There Are No Words and Best Photography, Documentary or Factual for Exclusion: Beyond the Silence.  Madeleine Sims-Fewer (BFA ’08) and Heather Hedley (BFA '26) earned Achievement in Costume Design for Honey Bunch.

Documentary and factual programming also earned wide recognition. The documentary Bam Bam: The Sister Nancy Story saw Alison Duke (MFA ’20) awarded for Best Direction, Documentary Series and Best Writing, Documentary, while Elma Bello (BFA ’95) received Best Sound, Documentary or Factual.

Howard Shefman (BFA ’10) was honoured for Best Factual Series for Dark Side of the Ring, and Francine DiBacco (MA ’15) received Best Biography or Arts Documentary Program or Series for Blue Rodeo: Lost Together. Mark J.W. Bishop (MA ’12) was awarded for Best Children’s or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series for Old Enough!.

Television comedy and drama categories included several additional honours. Amanda Brugel (BFA '00) earned the Spotlight Award for Best Performance for The Handmaid’s Tale. North of North was recognized as Best Comedy Series, with Teresa M. Ho (BFA ’95) among its creative team. Casting recognition for Heated Rivalry went to Jenny Lewis (BA ’94). For This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Stacey McGunnigle (BFA ’08) earned awards for Best Sketch Comedy Show & Ensemble Performance as well as Best Writing, Variety or Sketch Comedy, with the latter category also featuring Bita Joudaki (MFA ’21) among the winners.

In animation and television film categories, Arnie Zipursky (BFA ’78) was recognized for Best TV Movie for Dying in Plain Sight, and Art Mullin (BFA ’98) received Best Sound, Animation for Unicorn Academy.

In unscripted entertainment, Justin Stockman (BFA ’96) earned two awards for The Traitors Canada and Drag Brunch Saved My Life. In other areas, Afua Baah (BA ’13) was recognized for Best Local Reporter for CityNews Toronto. Tracy Galvin (BA ’85) and Del Cowle (BA ’97) were both part of the team behind The 2025 Juno Awards, which was named Best Live Entertainment Special.

Digital and creator-focused work was led by Julie Nolke (BFA ’12), named Creator of the Year for her work producing comedic, character-driven digital videos on her YouTube and social media platforms. Jen Pogue (BA ’12) received two honours for County Blooms: A Flower Powered Adventure, including Best Web Program or Series, Non-Fiction and Best Host, Web Program or Series.

Among other 91ŃÇÉ«-connected winners, Ryan Goldhar was honoured for Best Comedy Special for People of Comedy and Graham Chittenden earned Best Writing, Factual for Still Standing.

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Alison Halsall, associate professor at the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, is tracing back to the books’ original pages to map out how they helped shape the field of children’s literature.

This research will be the focus of her work as the inaugural at the University of Oxford, Christ Church in the U.K. for the month of August.

Awarded by Christ Church and Bodleian Libraries, the prestigious research fellowship provides access to unique archival materials.

During her fellowship, Halsall will study newly catalogued manuscripts, illustrated editions and adaptation materials to show how Alice pioneered visual, collaborative and cross-media storytelling. Her interest lies specifically at the intersection of archival study, visual narrative and childhood readership.

“Lewis Carroll’s Alice did more than tell a story,” says Halsall, who is also coordinator of 91ŃÇɫ’s Children, Childhood & Youth program. “From the playful typography to the illustrations, Carroll helped invent visual, interactive storytelling and taught children (and adults) to read across words and images.”

Her project will use materials held at Christ Church Library and the Bodleian Libraries to explore how Carroll and illustrator John Tenniel developed foundational visual storytelling techniques together.

Halsall is excited to dive into the Jon A. Lindseth Lewis Carroll collection, including the first edition 1865 Michelson Alice, which was Carroll’s personal edition, to analyze how typography and illustration might guide readers.

“This collection offers a rare opportunity to examine how Carroll orchestrated meaning at the level of the page,” says Halsall. “These materials make it possible to trace how Alice developed from manuscript to printed page, showing how Carroll and Tenniel worked together to create visual pacing strategies.

"I hope to prove what I have long suspected: that this Carroll-Tenniel collaboration demonstrates visual storytelling in formation – one that anticipates modern graphic narrative logics.”

By also studying translations for stage, film, photographs and other visual materials, the study aims to show that Alice spread across stage, screen and other media, challenging the idea that adaptation is a modern practice.

“Materials from early stage and film adaptations, along with objects like the Wonderland postage stamp case, show that Alice was adapted almost immediately,” says Halsall. “Together, these archives and collections demonstrate that Victorian children’s literature was highly adaptive in shaping how readers experienced Alice over time.”

Focusing on the text, Halsall will look variations across manuscripts to examine children’s literature as process rather than product. Carroll’s revisions reveal experimentation with tone, humour and forms of address to child readers, she notes.

“From the first British edition to The Nursery Alice and beyond, the manuscripts and editions suggest a model of participatory reading grounded in play and readerly interaction,” says Halsall. “I will consider the manuscripts as artifacts designed for a child demographic and analyze how they construct Victorian-era child readership and visual literacy.”

The opportunity to study these newly available Carroll manuscripts, editions and ephemera in Oxford, she says, allows her to “trace a clear line from Victorian page design to multimodal storytelling practices that shape contemporary media culture.”

This research will result in several academic and public-facing outcomes, including a peer-reviewed chapter on Carroll’s page design and graphic narrative logics in The Routledge Handbook to Children’s Literature and Graphic Narrative and a larger monograph project titled “Lewis Carroll: Early Transmedial Storyteller."

Findings may also be shared through a public or academic lecture at Oxford and will be included in Halsall’s archive-based teaching, extending its impact to students.

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The recently announced funding supports journals that span Canadian Jewish studies, law, feminist scholarship, cross-cultural image studies and refugee research.

The SSHRC program supports Canadian scholarly dissemination by helping journals explore innovative activities and defray costs associated with publishing, digital distribution and open access. Each of the five 91ŃÇÉ«-affiliated journals will receive funding over a three-year period.

"At a time when open access is reshaping how knowledge serves the public good, I am proud to see 91ŃÇÉ« journals recognized in the September 2025 SSHRC Aid to Scholarly Journals competition," says Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. "By expanding immediate open access, this support enhances the visibility, reach and public engagement of high-quality Canadian scholarship, connecting research more directly with scholars, policymakers and communities worldwide."

The following 91ŃÇÉ«-affiliated journals were awarded funding:

David S. Koffman, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Journal: / Études juives canadienne
Funding: $119,686 over three years
An interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal devoted to original scholarship on the Canadian Jewish experience.

Jennifer Nadler,
Journal:
Funding: $111,000 over three years
A scholarly law journal that publishes interdisciplinary research on law, legal institutions and legal developments of social, political and economic importance.

Andrea O'Reilly, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Journal:
Funding: $150,000 over three years
A feminist scholarly journal focused on mothering and motherhood, including scholarship that considers class, race, sexuality, age, ethnicity, ability, nationality and lived experience.

Markus Reisenleitner, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Journal: / Imaginations : Revue d'Ă©tudesinterculturelles de l'image
Funding: $156,000 over three years
A multilingual, open-access, peer-reviewed journal focused on international visual culture, image studies, artistic practice and interdisciplinary scholarship.

Dagmar Soennecken, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Journal: / Refuge : revue canadienne sur les réfugiés
Funding: $156,000 over three years
A bilingual, open-access, peer-reviewed journal publishing interdisciplinary research and analysis on forced migration from academic, policy and practitioner perspectives.

These awards are among the latest in a series of recent SSHRC funding successes for 91ŃÇÉ«, which has also received significant support through the council's Partnership Development Grants, Insight Development Grants and Insight Grants programs in recent cycles.

With files from Mzwandile Poncana

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Huang is a professor at the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies and a Tier 1 91ŃÇÉ« Research Chair in Big Data Analytics. His research focuses on advancing information retrieval, AI and natural language processing through probabilistic modelling and machine learning, with emphasis on real-world applications.

He is also an elected Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the Canadian Academy of Engineering, as well as the International Academy of Artificial Intelligence Science.

As founding director of the Information Retrieval and Knowledge Management Research Lab, Huang has helped shape the direction of AI research, including early systematic evaluations of large language models.

He was recently awarded the President’s Research Excellence Award at 91ŃÇÉ«. Since joining 91ŃÇÉ« in 2003, he has earned multiple fellowships and awards including the Dean's Award for Outstanding Research, the Petro Canada Young Innovators Award and the LA&PS Award for Distinction in Research, Creativity and Scholarship (Established Researcher).

The EIC is a not-for-profit founded in 1887 that serves as a coalition of 15 Canadian engineering societies with a mission to advance education, offer professional development and recognize excellence in engineering.

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An investment of $2.1 million, , will fund transformative work examining history, human behaviour, digital technologies and critical infrastructure to better understand and improve well-being, equity and resilience across Canada.

The CRC program bolster research excellence and advances the development of knowledge that benefits society, the economy and the environment.

"Canada Research Chairs drive new knowledge that strengthens Canada’s global competitiveness and addresses real-world challenges," says Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. "Across 91ŃÇÉ«, this research reflects a commitment to tackling complex issues – from advancing Indigenous knowledge and addressing addiction, to shaping the future of AI and strengthening critical infrastructure – in ways that deliver tangible benefits for communities in Canada and beyond."

Alan Corbiere – Canada Research Chair in Indigenous History of North America (Tier 2, renewal)
Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies

An assistant professor in 91ŃÇɫ’s Department of History, Corbiere’s research focuses on Anishinaabe language, oral traditions and material culture.

Corbiere uses approaches such as the study of treaty negotiations and wampum belts to challenge and reshape historical narratives while supporting the revitalization of Indigenous knowledge and culture.

Matthew Keough – Canada Research Chair in Addiction Vulnerability (Tier 2)
Faculty of Health

Keough is an associate professor in 91ŃÇɫ’s Department of Psychology, a clinical psychologist and a senior scientist with Homewood Research Institute. He studies the causes of addictive behaviours and develops evidence‑based treatments with a focus on heavy drinking, cannabis use, concurrent disorders and digital interventions for young adults.

Keough also received $100,000 through the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s which supports research infrastructure projects through its partnership with the CRC program.

Jennifer Pybus – Canada Research Chair in Data, Empowerment and Artificial Intelligence (Tier 2, renewal)
Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies

Associate professor in the Department of Politics and director of the Centre for Public AI, Pybus studies how social media, mobile platforms and AI use personal data.

Her focus is on strengthening data literacy, supporting informed public debate and examining issues of digital sovereignty and data governance in Canada.

Pirathayini Srikantha – Canada Research Chair in Reliable and Secure Power Grid Systems (Tier 2, renewal)

Srikantha, an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, develops AI‑driven and transactive energy solutions.

The aim of her research is to improve the reliability, security and resilience of electrical power grids and support the design of trustworthy energy systems.

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Michael Davies‑Venn, a Faculty of Graduate Studies student in the Global Health graduate program, joins the Expert Group on Equitable Access to Water and Sanitation led by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

The three‑year appointment highlights the impact of 91ŃÇÉ« researchers in addressing complex global health and environmental challenges.

The group brings together researchers, policymakers and practitioners and began its work earlier this year to guide the implementation of the World Health Organization’s Protocol on Water and Health. Its focus is on identifying marginalized populations and supporting their meaningful engagement in water and sanitation decision-making.

Davies‑Venn’s research synthesizes Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation, equity, global health and environmental governance. His work examines how water insecurity and climate events, such as floods and drought, influence the risk of infectious diseases, including malaria, cholera and West Nile virus.

“Several diseases linked to climate change impacts relate to the excess or absence of water,” Davies‑Venn says. “This suggests water is a key driver of climate‑related health outcomes.”

In his fieldwork, Davies-Venn focuses on basin‑area communities along the Orange‑Senqu River basin in Southern Africa, a transboundary freshwater resource that supports approximately 20 million people across Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and South Africa. Through participatory research, he studies how environmental and social factors shape disease risk.

“It is reasonable to argue that human life is impossible without fresh water,” he says. “Yet inequities in access to drinking water persist.”

In some river‑basin communities, open defecation remains common due to limited access to sanitation services which increases the risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera.

“Some people use the river as a latrine, while others collect water from the same river for domestic use, including drinking,” Davies‑Venn says. “Open defecation is a serious problem and cholera remains a global challenge. Research also links cholera outbreaks to floods and drought.”

For Davies‑Venn, the work is both academic and personal. Having spent his childhood in similar conditions, and surviving malaria, gives him first-hand insight into the challenges these communities face.

Those experiences inform his commitment to global health solutions and his passion to make a difference.

“If, through working with basin communities, I raise awareness that contributes to saving even one child from cholera, that contribution to science and humanity will give meaning to my life and work,” he says.

A member of the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, Davies-Venn's research is supervised by Associate Professor Godfred Boateng (), Professor Idil Boran (Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies) and Professor Philipp Pattberg (Vrije University-Amsterdam). In addition to his doctoral committee's guidance, he credits 91ŃÇÉ« for fostering a collaborative environment that supports interdisciplinary research, helping him bridge his background in environmental governance with public health.

He is completing his doctorate through a planned cotutelle arrangement between 91ŃÇÉ« and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, an international partnership that reflects 91ŃÇɫ’s commitment to global research collaboration.

Through his work in the expert group, he hopes that by empowering vulnerable populations, and recognizing broader societal failures, critical improvements in equitable access to water and sanitation will lead to healthier communities.

"Micheal’s appointment reflects the type of globally engaged, interdisciplinary scholarship 91ŃÇÉ« is cultivating," says Amrita Daftary, professor and graduate program director at the School of Global Health. "Grounded in equity and shaped by lived experience, his work demonstrates how graduate research can contribute to meaningful change beyond the University and Canada."

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Beyond the Academy is a six-week initiative developed by Zachary Spicer, associate professor in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) and head of New College, in partnership with 91ŃÇɫ’s Co-op & Career Centre. Designed specifically for LA&PS doctoral students, the program guides a cohort of 25 PhD students through career exploration, translating academic skills for non-academic settings, networking, job search strategy and concrete next steps with emotional support built in from the start.

The program responds to a decades-long structural shift in academic hiring.

"There's just not enough academic jobs for the amount of PhD students that we are graduating," says Spicer. "It is not a reflection on any individual candidate. It is just a math problem."

Spicer speaks from experience. He spent time outside academia before returning to 91ŃÇÉ« and has watched colleagues navigate the same transition with widely varying degrees of support. Over the past three years, New College has run webinars and workshops, and brought alumni in to speak about non-academic careers. Students appreciated those efforts, says Spicer, but kept saying they needed more.

"It felt kind of like a one-off," says Spicer. "They still had questions. I know I probably need to do this; I probably want to do this – but how do I actually get things going?"

Beyond the Academy was designed to answer that question in a sustained, structured way. Each week builds on the last – moving from career narrative and self-reflection through to LinkedIn, networking and an individualized career plan. The program also brings in an occupational therapist to help students work through the emotional weight that can accompany the transition.

"You're not just going towards the consolation prize," says Spicer. "You're going towards something that provides meaning and purpose."

The partnership with the adds another dimension. New College worked with the centre to scope the program, and its staff are leading three of the initiative’s six modules. Susan Pogue, career counsellor at the centre, delivered the program's opening session on rethinking the PhD career narrative. She says what sets Beyond the Academy apart from individual appointments or stand-alone webinars is the community it creates.

"It's the same 25 students going through each week," she says. "They're building rapport and trust, learning from each other, talking openly about exploring careers outside of academia – maybe for the first time. It normalizes that conversation."

For Lisa Smith, a PhD student in humanities whose research focuses on children's folklore, the program arrived at exactly the right moment. A former K to 12 educator who returned to post-secondary studies after two decades, she joined the program to think more seriously about her options if a tenure-track path does not materialize.

"I needed to be looking at Plan B," she says. "This was a start to preparing and looking at what other options are out there."

Though still in the early weeks of the program, she says it has already helped make a once-vague future feel more structured. Through the first sessions, participants were encouraged to think about the values, interests and the skills they developed through doctoral work – from long-term project management to research and critical analysis – and how that could translate beyond academia.

“I think my anxieties became reduced through this program,” she says. “The things that could happen in the future become more possible.”

For Spicer, the first cohort is a pilot – one being formally evaluated by 91ŃÇÉ«'s Office of Institutional Planning and Analysis. If it works, he hopes it can be replicated. More broadly, he says the goal is to make conversations about non-academic careers a more normal part of doctoral education.

"I am hoping that as a Faculty and as a school, we are more open to having conversations around non-academic careers," he says. "I'd like graduate students to leave excited and empowered about what comes next."

Smith concurs: "It ought to be open to all PhD students at 91ŃÇÉ«."

With files from Mzwandile Poncana

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Adopted in 2015, the SDGs set a 15‑year global framework to improve lives and reduce inequality by 2030, with recent reports focusing on how close countries are to meeting those targets.

Countries track progress toward the goals using large global datasets that compile indicators such as health outcomes, environmental conditions and social factors. These data are combined into scores that rank performance and enable comparisons across nations.

The methods used to build those rankings, however, can influence the results – and how close countries appear to be meeting the goals by 2030.

A by 91ŃÇÉ« researchers Raha Imanirad, an assistant professor at the , and Zijiang Yang, a professor in the School of Information Technology, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, examines how different calculation approaches affect how performance in different nations is understood. The study focuses on SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being.

The researchers applied this framework to global health data from 177 World Health Organization member states between 2019 and 2023. Using indicators such as maternal mortality, infectious disease rates, air pollution‑related deaths, road traffic fatalities and homicide rates, they assessed how rankings shift under different methods.

They found that calculation approaches can significantly change how countries appear to perform. More flexible methods tend to cluster many countries at the top, suggesting broadly similar outcomes and stronger overall progress toward the 2030 targets. Stricter, more consistent approaches produce fewer top rankings and clearer distinctions between countries.

These differences matter; because these rankings are used to assess progress toward the 2030 goals, the choice of method can influence whether progress appears widespread or uneven as the deadline approaches.

The analysis also found that no country achieved a perfect score once data uncertainty was considered, suggesting earlier assessments may have been overly optimistic.

The researchers note that no single method captures the full complexity of public health performance. Some approaches highlight top results and make countries appear stronger, while others produce more consistent comparisons but lower scores. Methods that account for uncertainty offer a more cautious picture, the study suggests.

By combining these approaches, the study proposes a more balanced and transparent way to compare countries, one better suited to assessing progress on SDG 3 as the 2030 deadline approaches.

Findings suggest this type of framework could help policymakers identify and focus on specific gaps, such as air quality, disease prevention and maternal health, in the final years leading up to 2030. As the deadline nears, the study underscores how measurement choices can shape how progress is tracked and how success – and areas for improvement – are understood.

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