About the University of Alberta (U of A)
Founded more than a century ago, the University of Alberta is one of the top 100 teaching and research universities in the world serving more than 36,000 students with over 11,000 faculty and staff. The U of A has an annual budget in excess of $1 billion and attracts more than $480 million in external research funding. It offers close to 400 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in 18 faculties.
Created – in the words of its first president, Henry Marshall Tory – "for the uplifting of the whole people," the university is committed to inspiring the human spirit through outstanding achievements in learning, discovery and citizenship and building one of the world's great universities for the public good.
Under the leadership of its 12th president, Indira Samarasekera, the U of A and its community have created a contoured roadmap for the future—a roadmap that guides this comprehensive, research-intensive university as one of the world’s most respected public universities. At its foundation lie talented people—students, faculty, and staff—who with their creativity, ingenuity, and drive will join in advancing human knowledge and pursuing scientific discovery for the benefit of all.
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| photos are courtesy of Creative Services, University of Alberta |
Teaching Excellence
The University of Alberta is home to Canada’s largest academic staff association and leads the country with 30 professors who have received national 3M Teaching Fellowships, Canada’s highest award for undergraduate university teaching excellence. All told there are more than 9,000 faculty, librarians, graduate assistants, and other academic staff. Another 6,300+ employees work in a supporting capacity.
Transformative research
Go to http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/facts/nav01.cfm?nav01=94750 for examples of the U of A’s history of groundbreaking research including:
The North
- As one of the world’s most northern research universities, the University of Alberta has historic and ongoing links to the North and the world’s boreal regions.
- The Canadian Circumpolar Institute supports research by more than 250 students and faculty across campus to address social and environmental concerns relevant to the North, from climate change and natural-resource development to preserving cultural identity.
Oil discovery, oilsands and the environment
- Alberta is often best known for its energy resources, and U of A faculty and alumni played central roles in discovering and developing Alberta’s black gold.
- Key contributions include engineering professor Karl Clark’s hot water extraction process for separating bitumen from oilsands in the 1920s and geology professor Charlie Stelck’s notion to search for oil and gas near ancient coral reefs. Stelck’s insight led former students to help discover Leduc No. 1 in ‘47 and Alberta’s Pembina Oil Field in ‘53.
- The U of A actively contributes to energy-related advances today and has become a world leader on ways to reduce the environmental impact of extraction.
Edmonton and the U of A
As the capital of the province of Alberta and North America’s “Gateway to the North,” Edmonton has emerged as one of the world’s most vibrant and competitive economies.
The University of Alberta plays a strong supporting role in the prosperity Edmontonians have experienced. The university is a talent magnet that draws some of the world’s best students and researchers to this dynamic city of one million people. In a July 2008 survey, 82 per cent of residents said the U of A was “very important” to civic pride, nearly double the next closest institution.
The U of A sits atop the North Saskatchewan River valley, North America’s largest stretch of urban parkland. Historic Whyte Avenue, with its boutiques and coffee shops, is a short walk from campus, and downtown’s Jasper Avenue, home to high-quality restaurants and nightlife, is a few train stops away. Just a few more stations down the line, the Arts District boasts the Winspear Centre for Music, the Citadel Theatre, and the Art Gallery of Alberta. The world-renowned West Edmonton Mall is also easily accessible from the university.
Dubbed “Festival City,” Edmonton teems with culture and arts events year-round. Residents celebrate the sunny, warm summer with the second largest Fringe Theatre Festival in the world, the world-renowned Folk Fest music festival, and Heritage Days, an outdoor feast showcasing the city’s multicultural community.
Edmontonians also enjoy dozens of fitness and sport-training facilities, and the city is known for its professional sport franchises, including hockey, football, baseball and lacrosse teams.
With a top-notch health system, a stellar public school system, and the Rocky Mountains close by, Edmonton offers an outstanding quality of life.
U of A Links
- U of A Facts - get an overview of the U of A’s history, university statistics and more
- U of A Facts Brochure (PDF)
- Statistics About the U of A
- Visiting - Coming to campus for an event? Booking a tour? Come see what we’re all about.
- Driving Directions
