The University of Alberta has 16 faculties and over 200 programmes for students to consider. Its Engineering programmes rank amongst the highest in the world, scoring in the top 10 (QS WUR, Ranking by Subject, 2022).

Its reputation in the fields of humanities, creative arts, sciences, business, engineering and health sciences are famed in the world of academia. With facilities like the Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology (a field in which an academic from UoA won a Nobel Prize in 2020) and Canada’s National Institute for Nanotechnology, it is clearly an enticing prospect for students to push themselves academically.

With its faculties spread across five different campuses, the University of Alberta’s main and original campus is North Campus that is in Edmonton and covers 50 city blocks and contains 150 buildings, yet still has plenty of green space. Around 35,000 students operate from here so it is the focal point for academic and research operations.

The UoA Library is home to 5.6 million titles and 8.2 million volumes that can be accessed in-person and remotely. There are over 6,000 seats and 745 computer workstations across its various sites meaning that it can cater to the high student population.

Students can also opt to purchase a U-Pass that will see them navigate the campuses of UoA and the further Edmonton area with ease, as there are hundreds of bus stops around the city and this makes for a cost-effective way to commute. Edmonton International Airport also makes it easier for international students to attend this university and its links in and out of the university are accessible.

The University of Alberta offers support for students wishing to show entrepreneurial spirit and innovative ideas. They can help with pre-commercialisation, IP assessment, licensing, and mentorship of entrepreneurs. The hundreds of research labs that students of UoA have access to work in tandem with incubators to create the best business proposals possible.

One such entrepreneurial centre is eHUB, a resource available to all students across faculties that help flesh out the business ideas of students who want to strive forward.

As of this date there are over 130 active spinoff companies that the University of Alberta have helped get off the ground through startups like TEC Edmonton, a joint venture between UoA and Edmonton Economic Development Corporation.

As Canada’s 4th best research-based university, University of Alberta has over 400 research laboratories and even the second largest research library in Canada.

Research is interwoven into the DNA of UoA and plays a huge role in everyday life at this institution; as previously mentioned, the 2020 Nobel Prize went to a professor of UoA, Dr. Michael Houghton, for his work in virology.

Students can participate in such groundbreaking research from their very first year through the Undergraduate Research Initiative (URI). This encourages drive and innovation from a student’s first steps in higher education and goes a long way to creating the kinds of academics that are widely celebrated and valuable to the world.

Like many Canadian universities, UoA offers many co-op courses where students can gain paid work experience during their spell at university, blending the traditional theory-based learning of classrooms with real-life application in industry, creating work-ready graduates who often command higher starting salaries.

UoA claims to be the second best university in terms of graduate employment in Canada, and 87th in the world. International students should also be aware that through the Post Graduation Work Permit, students can stay and work in Canada up to three years after their studies which entices many foreign students to UoA.

The Career Centre at UoA is also on hand to help any undergrads, postgrads, or alumni with any queries regarding employment, such as workshops, link-building, resumé writing, and more.

Edmonton is an exceptionally-located city for those who wish to enjoy a connection to nature; Banff National Park is just two hours away and is home to peaks, lakes and glaciers. In the summertime, Edmonton experiences 18 hours of sunshine and its 150km of trails make for a wonderful way to unwind after studying.

In the city itself, Whyte Avenue is the hub of restaurants, cafes, and bars where students will socialise and get to know each other away from academia. Facilities like the Wilson Climbing Centre also offer students the chance to challenge themselves physically. UoA’s position on The River Valley allows students to jog, canoe, bike, snowshoe, and even cross-country ski.

The University of Alberta is the epitome of a conducive learning environment. Its facilities are well-funded and contemporary while still maintaining its historical qualities, the research output is high and of excellent quality, and the campus is positioned in a truly unique part of the world where students can get the best of urban and rural living.

Support is available for students who wish to challenge themselves by involving themselves in research or business startups, and Edmonton’s famously robust economy makes for opportunities and consistency that other cities in Canada cannot offer. All things considered, this is an excellent university that should entice any ambitious academic.