University maintains ranking

U OF L NO. 4 AMONG ‘PRIMARY UNDERGRADUATE’ SCHOOLS IN MACLEAN’S RANKINGS

Once again, it’s Number 1. The University of Lethbridge is ranked tops in its class, in the share of its budget going to student services, in this year’s Canadian university rankings by Maclean’s magazine. It’s also ranked fourth-best among the nation’s “primarily undergraduate” group of 19 universities.

“This is the second consecutive year we have topped that classification, and it speaks to the focus the university puts on its students, their experience and their success,” says U of L president Mike Mahon.

“We strive to give our students a supportive, inclusive, challenging atmosphere that will help them achieve their academic potential and prepare them to be leaders in their communities when they graduate,” he adds.

This year’s fourth-overall ranking puts U of L ahead of such historic universities as Acadia and St. Francis Xavier in Nova Scotia, but behind prestigious Mount Allison in New Brunswick, the University of Northern B.C. in Prince George and Trent University in Peterborough, Ont.

While the magazine’s numbers “should not be used to define a university,” Mahon says they can track strengths and weakness over the years.

“If you look back over the past five or six years, we’re pleased to be among the top three or four schools in our classification for a sustained period of time,” he says.

“That tells me that we are consistently amongst the country’s leaders in meeting the needs of our students, pushing the envelope in terms of research and innovation, and creating an atmosphere that celebrates inquiry and academic success.”

This year’s scorecard puts U of L second in the number of science or medical grants earned by faculty members, fourth of the 19 in total research dollars and fourth in the annual reputational survey. But it’s in the lower half of the class on such measures as scholarships and bursaries awarded, library acquisitions and faculty awards, and it ranks 10th in “student satisfaction.”

Among all 49 Canadian universities included in the survey, U of L was 12th in the proportion of full-time instructors with a doctorate degree or equivalent — 96.7 per cent. The University of Alberta was tops at 99.5 per cent, while larger institutions like Western (Ontario), Victoria, UBC, McMaster, Calgary and Toronto were further down the list.

Research activity at U of L will continue to grow when the Destination Project’s new science and academic building opens in 2019, Mahon predicts.

“The momentum our faculty have generated with their world-class research programs will only increase,” he says.

“Their dedication to discovery and commitment to engaging our students, both undergraduate and graduate, in research is remarkable.”