The University of Calgary (U of C or UCalgary) is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The University of Calgary started in 1944 as the Calgary branch of the University of Alberta, founded in 1908, prior to being instituted into a separate, autonomous university in 1966. It is composed of 14 faculties and over 85 research institutes and centers. The main campus is located in the northwest quadrant of the city near the Bow River and a smaller south campus is located in the city center. The main campus houses most of the research facilities and works with provincial and federal research and regulatory agencies, several of which are housed next to the campus such as the Geological Survey of Canada. The main campus covers approximately 200 hectares (490 acres).
The University of Calgary was established in 1966, but its roots date back more than half a century earlier to the establishment of the Normal School in Calgary in 1905. The Alberta Normal School was established in Calgary to train primary and secondary school teachers in the new province. The Calgary Normal School was absorbed by the University of Alberta's Faculty of Education in 1945, and operated as a part of its Calgary branch campus, a satellite campus of the University of Alberta. Operating from the west wing of the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art, the Calgary University Committee was formed in 1946, in an effort to lobby for separate permanent facilities for the branch campus.
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
Rankings and accolades
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.
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.
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.
Canada's Top 50 Research Universities
The University of Calgary was ranked 5th nationally by Research Info. Source Inc. in 2020, on their Top 50 Research Universities in Canada list.
