UCalgary campus

Facts and figures

UCalgary by the numbers

Our university

The University of Calgary is one of Canada’s top comprehensive research universities, combining the best of university tradition with the city of Calgary’s vibrant energy and diversity. UCalgary’s main campus occupies a beautiful setting with a view of the Rocky Mountains, covering more than 200 hectares — an area larger than Calgary’s entire downtown.

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Founded in 1966

with origins in the early 1900s

5 campuses

Main Campus, Downtown Campus, Foothills, Spyhill and Qatar

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14 faculties

with 250+ programs to choose from

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34,000+ students

26,000+ undergraduate students and 8000+ graduate students


UCalgary students

Mo shùile togam suas

Univeristy motto (in Gaelic) – I will lift up my eyes

 

1,800+ academic staff

actively engaged in research, scholarship and teaching

 

3,200+ non-academic staff

focused on operating the institution and delivering against our core mandate

 

202,500+ alumni

2/3 live or work in the Calgary area

 

$1.3 billion consolidated budget

contributes at least $8 billion annually to Alberta's economy

 

Rankings and accolades

National and global academic rankings


Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU)

The University of Calgary ranked in the 151-200 range internationally, and #7-8 nationally,  ranked by Academic Ranking of World Universities for 2021.

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Center for World University Rankings (CWUR)

The University of Calgary ranked 8th in Canada and 190th by the Center for World University Rankings for 2021-2022.

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QS World Rankings

In June 2021, the QS World University Rankings 2022 were released. In this ranking, the University of Calgary placed 10th in Canada, and 235th in the world. 

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Times Higher Education (THE) World University Ranking

The University of Calgary ranked in the 201-250th category internationally, and 8th nationally by the Times Higher Education 2022 rankings.

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Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Ranking

In the 2022 ranking, the University of Calgary climbed to the top 3 per cent of post-secondary institutions for advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

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U.S. News and World Report

The University of Calgary ranked in 169th place globally, (7th place in Canada) by U.S. News and World Report for 2022.

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Canada's Top 50 Research Universities

The University of Calgary was ranked as one of the top research universities nationally by Re$earch Info. Source Inc. in 2023, on their Top 50 Research Universities in Canada list.

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Alberta’s first Fair Trade Campus

Alberta's top employers 2020

Alberta’s top employers
(2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)

 

diversity employers 2020

Canada's best diversity employers 
(2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)

WorldatWork Alliance for WorkLife Progress Seal of Distinction
(2015, 2016, 2017)


Home of the Dinos

Dinos football practice

500 student athletes

compete on varsity teams each year

Top 5 in Canada

Academic All-Canadian student-athletes

14 Olympic and Paralympic medals

Brought home by Dinos student-athletes since 1976

dinos

Exceptional facilities

  • Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning: the first building in Canada dedicated solely to improving post-secondary teaching and learning
  • Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking: new initiative to immerse the campus in a bold and new approach to teaching, learning, discovery and knowledge sharing
  • International Microbiome Centre: a translational research centre, unique in Canada, to study the microbiome and its impact on human and animal health
  • W.A. Ranches: 19,000 acres of working cattle ranch that will anchor a world-class teaching, learning and research facility
  • Energy Environment Experiential Learning Building: one of the largest LEED Platinum laboratories in North America
  • Taylor Family Digital Library: the most technologically advanced library in North America
  • Olympic Oval: home to the fastest ice in the world
  • MacKimmie Tower: the redeveloped tower will be one of the most energy efficient buildings on a Canadian postsecondary campus, and along with the new MacKimmie link and block will strive to be net carbon neutral
  • Child Development Centre: one of the most heavily instrumented buildings in North America
Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning

Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning


Our teaching and learning

Students at the orientation pep rally 2019
  • 250+ programs
  • 95% undergraduate retention rate
  • 78% 'good' or 'excellent' 1st-year student satisfaction
  • 94.1% graduate employment rate, 80.4% of employed grads working in fields related to discipline
  • 7.8 million items in library collections
  • 18 Rhodes scholars to date

 


Research and scholarship

One of the top research universities in Canada

for sponsored research funding

$487.8 million

in sponsored research funding (2018-2019)

169

Research chairs

360

new inventions and innovations since 2017

Six focal areas address global priorities in:

  • Energy innovations for today and tomorrow
  • Human dynamics in a changing world
  • Engineering solutions for health
  • New Earth-space technologies
  • Infections, inflammation and chronic diseases
  • Brain and mental health

 

UCalgary also supports two emerging cross-cutting research areas:

  • Child health and wellness and One Health

 

Learn more about our research

Nursing student at the Qatar Campus

Our city

Calgary Peace Bridge

Denisse Leon

  • Calgary, Alberta, population 1.4 million
  • #1 most liveable city in North America and #5 in the world (2019 Global Liveability Ranking, Economics Intelligence Unit)
  • 4th largest city in Canada, youngest population of major cities in Canada (Calgary Economic Development)
  • Energy capital of Canada and global finance hub
  • #3 most diverse city in Canada
  • Most patents per capita in Canada (C.D. Howe Institute, 2018)
  • Highest concentration of corporate head offices and small businesses per capita in Canada (Calgary Economic Development)
  • 40 international consulate offices
  • Largest urban pathway network in North America
  • Home to Canada’s National Music Centre and the internationally renowned Calgary Stampede
  • Sunniest city in Canada — over 333 days a year
  • View this great video about Calgary prepared by our partners at Calgary Economic Development