Happy New Year! As we look back on another busy and successful year and begin 2017 with renewed energy after the holidays, I would like to thank our students, staff, faculty, alumni and partners for all the ways you are helping to raise 91ÑÇÉ« to new heights every day.
The beginning of the new year is an ideal time for reflection. As I enter my final year as president, I find myself doing even more of that than usual. It gives me great pride to think about what our community has achieved over the last 10 years. This past year, in particular, has highlighted our tremendous strengths in innovative community-engaged teaching and research. I encourage you to take a look for yourself at our
In April, we launched , an opportunity to spread the word about 91ÑÇɫ’s excellence around the world and to celebrate the impact that our alumni family of nearly 300,000 is having locally and globally. A visit to campus by was the perfect way to do that, making this Fall’s Red & White Day one to remember.
91ÑÇÉ« is ranked among the top five universities in the world for its expertise in vision research, and this global eminence was recognized by the government of Canada with a to further advance our leadership in this field. Our researchers developed a that detects E. coli in water within minutes, and this year three out of only 13 coveted were awarded to 91ÑÇÉ« graduate students.
As we continue to expand our research impact worldwide, the University is expanding physically to meet the unique needs of 21st-century education. We celebrated the grand opening of last April, and in the same month, we opened the doors of in Costa Rica, 91ÑÇɫ’s new international EcoCampus. The facility will offer a truly unique environmental research and experiential education opportunity for 91ÑÇÉ« students and faculty, in one of the world’s largest rainforest ecosystems. A multipurpose is also on the way, the culmination of more than six years of collaboration and an historic undertaking as the 91ÑÇÉ« student body becomes the first in Canada to secure innovative capital project financing for a second student building.
I am delighted to share that the world is taking note of our latest successes. Just last month employers ranked 91ÑÇÉ« in for best preparing students for the workplace.
As we look back on 2016, this is also a time to consider our future. With momentous developments still on the horizon, such as our new , exciting community partnerships with and the , and of course, the taking place at our 91ÑÇÉ« Lions Stadium next summer, I am more convinced than ever that the best is yet to come for 91ÑÇÉ«.
I wish you the very best for a healthy, happy and successful new year, and I look forward to seeing you on campus.
Sincerely,
Mamdouh Shoukri
President and Vice-Chancellor