Published by Communications and Public Affairs (519) 824-4120, Ext. 56982 or 53338
News Release
November 10, 2003
Maclean’s: U of G No. 1 Again
For the third time in five years, the University of Guelph has been named the No. 1 comprehensive university in Canada by Maclean’s magazine.
The national publication released its annual university rankings issue today, citing innovative programs, accessible faculty, unique research opportunities, and a distinctive commitment to students as some of the reasons U of G placed first among Canada’s comprehensive institutions.
“This national recognition is a reflection of the work of the entire University of Guelph community,” said President Alastair Summerlee. “We have all contributed to the values, atmosphere and mission of this institution. That’s what makes the university unique.”
Maclean’s defines comprehensive universities as those with a significant amount of research activity and a wide range of programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Its two other categories are medical/doctoral and primarily undergraduate. The magazine uses 23 indicators to measure overall quality within six general themes: student body, classes, faculty, finances, library and reputation. U of G maintained or improved last year’s strong performance in 16 of the categories, including:
• Quality of faculty: No. 1 in the number of faculty with PhDs.
• Quality of students: No. 1 in the proportion of first-year students with a 75-per- cent grade average or higher.
• Graduation rates: No. 1 in proportion of students who graduate.
• Student success: No. 2 in students who have won national academic awards in the past five years.
“Students are at the core of what we do because they are involved in every step of the discovery process,” Summerlee said. “So I’m especially delighted to see that U of G continues to be ranked first in all indicators of student quality and that we remain one of a select number of academic institutions in Canada where research and teaching are creatively intertwined.”
Maclean’s also published a reputational survey based on comments solicited from 11,612 people across the country, including CEOs of major Canadian corporations, high school counsellors and academic administrators. It ranks the “best overall” comprehensive universities and lists the “reputational winners” in three categories: highest quality, most innovative, leaders of tomorrow. In that survey, U of G ranked second in “best overall” and second in each of the three categories.
“In addition to our high ranking, I am also pleased that Maclean’s recognizes our focus on innovation,” Summerlee said. “It’s these initiatives that not only contribute to our success, but also position us for the future.”
U of G was also named the top comprehensive university in 2002 and 1999.
The Maclean’s rankings are the latest in a series of national reviews that have given U of G top marks. U of G was named the Canadian comprehensive “Research University of the Year” Nov. 4 in a report by Research Infosource Inc. published in the National Post. It also received first-place honours in its division for overall research-intensiveness and was the only university without a medical school that reported a research budget in excess of $100 million.
U of G was ranked the No. 1 university in Canada for campus atmosphere and technology in the University Report Card, a survey of Canadian students published Oct. 15 by the Globe and Mail. Earlier that month, the university was also named the country’s top comprehensive university and second among all institutions in public accountability and external reporting, according to the annual Canadian University Accountability Survey.
For media questions, contact Communications and Public Affairs: Lori Bona Hunt, (519) 824-4120, Ext. 53338, or Rachelle Cooper, (519) 824-4120, Ext. 56982.
