Established in 1964, the University of Guelph includes seven colleges whose programs span the natural and physical sciences, social sciences, and humanities. The main campus includes an Arboretum and a Research Park with the Canadian headquarters of many multinational agri-food companies. With 25,000 undergraduate students and 3000 graduate students, the University oversees a $140 million research budget that places Guelph as one of Canada’s top comprehensive universities. Its research partnerships are diverse, spanning the corporate and governmental sectors with linkages across Canada and the world.
From the three founding Colleges – the Ontario Veterinary College (1862), the Ontario Agricultural College (1874), and the MacDonald Institute (1903) – the University of Guelph, established in 1964, has grown to be one of Canada’s top universities. Dedicated faculty and staff are at work making communities, environment, food, and health better. The University of Guelph is consistently ranked as a top comprehensive university in Canada by Maclean’s magazine, and given high marks for student satisfaction among medium-sized universities in Canada by The Globe and Mail. It has held these rankings with its reputation, innovative research-intensive programs, and lively campus life cited as particular strengths. The University of Guelph has also been ranked 50 among the top 100 universities under 50 years old by Times Higher Education. The university has a key focus on life science and has ranked 76-100 in the world by ARWU.
Currently, the faculty at the University of Guelph hold 39 Canada Research Chair positions in the research areas of natural sciences, engineering, health sciences, and social sciences. Recent academic achievements include the first scientific validation of water on Mars, Alpha particle X-ray spectrometer (APXS) on board the Mars Exploration Rovers, and the Barcode of Life project for species identification.
The open, friendly campus is characterized by green lawns and a blend of modern and traditional architecture (historical tour). The main campus features Victorian turrets; modern concrete, glass, and steel; hand-hewn century limestone; brick walkways; landscaped plazas; and a 165-hectare Arboretum.
The Operating and Local Support Committees were pleased to welcome you to our campus, and we hope all delegates enjoyed a productive and inspiring conference.