Opening doors to your future
A university education in Canada opens the door to a world of possibilities. Every year, more than one million Canadian and foreign students attend either full- or part-time studies in any one of the country's more than 90 universities. They take a wide range of programs for a diversity of reasons. Most are undergraduate students taking their first step towards an exciting career. Many are enrolled in continuing education programs to further their career prospects or to embark on a new career direction. Others are taking post-graduate programs, including master's and doctorates.Whatever the reason, these students are making a smart decision. A Canadian university education is an unlimited resource that can put graduates on the road to a bright future.
A Diversity of Locations
Canada's universities are found all around the country. From the shores of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, to the Rocky Mountains of Alberta and British Columbia, Canada's locales are as distinct as the universities that call them home. In terms of land mass, Canada is the second-largest country on earth with an area of nearly 10 million sq. kilometres. From the tip of Newfoundland to the Pacific Ocean at British Columbia, Canada is more than 7,300 kilometres coast-to-coast. As a result of this geographic splendour, Canada's people and places are distinct, each with their own culture and qualities.
Universities are dotted throughout this extensive terrain. They can be found in communities both large and small - in cities, towns and rural areas - and offer a variety of programming that is often specifically suited to the geographic region that they occupy.
A Diversity of Programing
Canada's economy, location and abundance of resources and opportunities are reflected in the country's university programming. Canada's natural resources and geographic location have made the country a major player in the global economy. Accordingly, programming at Canadian universities reflects the many businesses that make Canada a global trading power. As the global economy becomes increasingly geared towards research and the development of new technologies, Canadian universities have followed suit, making Canada one of the largest research and new technology providers in the world.
As Canada's dominance in fields such as research, automotive, manufacturing, geology, forestry, urban development and engineering, amongst others, continues to set benchmarks for global achievement, Canadian university graduates are in high demand all over the world for their knowledge and expertise.
Canada's Universities are Recognized
According to the Times Higher Education magazine ranking of the world's top 200 universities for 2008, 12 Canadian universities can count themselves among the best in the world. Considering there are approximately 10,000 universities on earth, making the top 200 is quite a feat. The universities of Toronto, British Columbia, Alberta, Montreal, Waterloo, Western Ontario, and Calgary, as well as Dalhousie, McGill, McMaster, Queen's and Simon Fraser were named to the list.
In order to qualify for consideration, universities were measured by a series of criteria that included peer evaluations, faculty citations (research quality), graduate employability, proportion of international students and teaching quality.
Further Education
A university degree from a Canadian institution can do more for you than just provide you with a great career. An accreditation from a recognized university can put you on the path to even more education. Canada's graduate and post-graduate schools rank among the top in the world, and many of Canada's universities offer continuing education programming that allows working professionals to update and acquire new skills. To accommodate working professionals, many universities also offer the option of online and distance learning. This commitment to lifelong learning continuously opens new doors for students and working professionals to make themselves indispensable to employers all over the world.
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Studying Abroad
Many Canadian universities have partnerships with universities around the world and offer students a chance to live and learn in another country. Canada's universities have active and ongoing partnerships with other institutions located throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.
These partnerships provide Canadian university students with an excellent opportunity to broaden their knowledge of practices used in other countries. Students can take part in a number of different learning opportunities including research projects, intensive language programs, exchange programs and co-op placements. These study-abroad opportunities immerse students in foreign cultures, which, on a resume, can give candidates a competitive edge over other job seekers. It also gives students a greater understanding of other cultures and practices, and helps them to be more openminded to new and different ideas.
Research
Canada's universities are pillars of the global research community. Every year, innovative materials and processes are created, enhanced and commercialized to the benefit of global citizens. For example, in 2008, Professor David Keith, Director of the Institute for Sustainable Energy at the University of Calgary, along with a team of researchers, devised a method of scrubbing CO2 emissions from the air. This revolutionary new technology reduces the environmental impact of airborne pollution caused primarily by vehicles and aircraft, and Keith and his team are working to apply the technology to other sources of pollution as well.
At the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Dr. Siva Sivoththaman is working with fellow researchers in the field of solar energy. Sivoththaman is the Director of UWaterloo's Centre for Advanced Photovoltaic Devices and Systems and through his research he hopes to create a means of harnessing solar power more efficiently and more affordably.
And Xiaohui Bao, a graduate student at the University of Saskatchewan, discovered a fungus in weeds grown in soil from the Athabasca oilsands that allows these plants to thrive in desertlike conditions. The discovery could help turn Athabasca's arid landscape into a rain forest.
Most universities in Canada have at least some research underway. Most have considerable endowments from the federal and provincial governments, as well as donations from private companies and citizens. Some of the top research institutions in the world are located in Canada and are welcoming bright students to assist, learn and make new discoveries in a variety of fields.
Jobs
A degree from a Canadian university can get you places. Canadian university programs are taught by professors who are experts in their fields. Moreover, programs and courses are often designed by each university in partnership with industry. Companies that contribute to the creation of university programming are doing so because they are interested in hiring skilled graduates with industry know-how to enhance their workforces.
And, as a matter of fact, graduates of Canadian universities earn more than those without university credentials. According to the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, those who completed a university degree typically earned 57 per cent more than those who did not have the same level of education. And, over the course of a 40-year career, a university graduate will earn approximately $1.3 million more than someone without a university education.
Your Future
By enrolling in a Canadian university, you are enrolling for success. Experienced faculty, stateof- the-art labs and materials, first-rate amenities and a variety of social possibilities will make this one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.
Studying Abroad
Many Canadian universities have partnerships with universities around the world and offer students a chance to live and learn in another country. Canada's universities have active and ongoing partnerships with other institutions located throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.
These partnerships provide Canadian university students with an excellent opportunity to broaden their knowledge of practices used in other countries. Students can take part in a number of different learning opportunities including research projects, intensive language programs, exchange programs and co-op placements. These study-abroad opportunities immerse students in foreign cultures, which, on a resume, can give candidates a competitive edge over other job seekers. It also gives students a greater understanding of other cultures and practices, and helps them to be more openminded to new and different ideas.
Research
Canada's universities are pillars of the global research community. Every year, innovative materials and processes are created, enhanced and commercialized to the benefit of global citizens. For example, in 2008, Professor David Keith, Director of the Institute for Sustainable Energy at the University of Calgary, along with a team of researchers, devised a method of scrubbing CO2 emissions from the air. This revolutionary new technology reduces the environmental impact of airborne pollution caused primarily by vehicles and aircraft, and Keith and his team are working to apply the technology to other sources of pollution as well.
At the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Dr. Siva Sivoththaman is working with fellow researchers in the field of solar energy. Sivoththaman is the Director of UWaterloo's Centre for Advanced Photovoltaic Devices and Systems and through his research he hopes to create a means of harnessing solar power more efficiently and more affordably.
And Xiaohui Bao, a graduate student at the University of Saskatchewan, discovered a fungus in weeds grown in soil from the Athabasca oilsands that allows these plants to thrive in desertlike conditions. The discovery could help turn Athabasca's arid landscape into a rain forest.
Most universities in Canada have at least some research underway. Most have considerable endowments from the federal and provincial governments, as well as donations from private companies and citizens. Some of the top research institutions in the world are located in Canada and are welcoming bright students to assist, learn and make new discoveries in a variety of fields.
Jobs
A degree from a Canadian university can get you places. Canadian university programs are taught by professors who are experts in their fields. Moreover, programs and courses are often designed by each university in partnership with industry. Companies that contribute to the creation of university programming are doing so because they are interested in hiring skilled graduates with industry know-how to enhance their workforces.
And, as a matter of fact, graduates of Canadian universities earn more than those without university credentials. According to the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, those who completed a university degree typically earned 57 per cent more than those who did not have the same level of education. And, over the course of a 40-year career, a university graduate will earn approximately $1.3 million more than someone without a university education.
Your Future
By enrolling in a Canadian university, you are enrolling for success. Experienced faculty, stateof- the-art labs and materials, first-rate amenities and a variety of social possibilities will make this one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.