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News Release

October 25, 2005

U of G No. 1 Comprehensive Research University

Once again, the University of Guelph has been ranked Canada’s No. 1 comprehensive research university in two separate surveys by an independent national consulting firm.

For the third year in a row, U of G was named “Research University of the Year” in the comprehensive category by Research Infosource, Inc. in a report released today. The ranking is based on a complex integration of input and output measures that take into account research income, research intensity of faculty and graduate students, and the number of publications in leading Canadian and international journals.

The report divides Canada’s top research universities into three categories: medical/doctoral, comprehensive and undergraduate. Among comprehensive universities, U of G ranked No. 1 in three of the four categories — total sponsored research income, faculty research intensity and publication intensity — and was second for graduate student research intensity. Compared with Canadian universities in all three categories, U of G tied for eighth place overall.

Research Infosource also published a second survey today, its annual Top 50 Research Universities List, which ranks Canadian universities based solely on sponsored research income. In that report, U of G was the top comprehensive university in the country for the fourth consecutive year with research income of nearly $123 million and ranked 13th overall.

“These are remarkable achievements and a great cause for celebration,” said president Alastair Summerlee. “Faculty and staff at the University of Guelph understand the inherent connection between teaching and research. But more important, they appreciate the value of innovation. Once again, they have shown the innovative spirit to be able to dovetail their research schedules around the needs of our students and the university without compromising either the calibre of teaching or the excellence of their work. Our No. 1 ranking is testimony to that.”

Part of the university’s overall strategic plan is maintaining the right balance between teaching and research, Summerlee added. “We are beginning a process that will help ensure we retain our competitive edge in teaching.”

Alan Wildeman, vice-president (research), said U of G research “is leaving an indelible mark nationally and internationally. It’s creating new knowledge in a breadth of disciplines, it’s engaged in things that matter to society, and it’s creating value for our partner organizations that can take our innovative ideas and transform them into value. Faculty, staff, students and our research partners are all a part of our continual success, and all deserve credit.”

Research Infosource Inc. is a division of The Impact Group, a Toronto-based organization that provides information about the research activities of Canadian companies, universities and governments.

More information about the reports