Research

For more than a century, the Unviersity of Alberta has been leading discoveries and innovations, transforming thoughts and ideas into inventions, translating research into real changes for real people.

That’s why we now rank among the top 100 research universities worldwide.

Graduate students—as the largest contingent of researchers on campus—play a critical role in this work.

They are a driving force as U of A research shapes public policy, revolutionizes health, enriches culture and delivers economic benefits.

Rankings

59th worldwide

	46th	Engineering and Information Technology
	52nd	Life Sciences and Biomedicine
	75th	Natural Sciences
	101st	Arts and Humanities

–Times Higher Education-QS World
University 2009 ranking

101st internationally; 59th in North America

–Shanghai Jiao Tong University 2010 ranking

Research Initiatives

	School for the Energy and the Environment (SEE) Involves 7,000 students and 200 professors examining key issues related to the energy and the enviroment from interdisciplinary perspectives.

	China Institute Enhances and supports new teaching and research initiatives between Canada and China and promotes cultural, scientific and business exchanges with Asia’s economic powerhouse.

	Helmholtz Alberta Initiative Links the U of A to 16 elite research centres across Germany in the development of new oilsands production technologies, from new geothermal energy sources to improved carbon capture methods.

	Canadian Circumpolar Institute Supports more than 200 students and faculty researchers exploring issues related to the North, from climate change to preserving cultural identity.

fast facts

More than $507 million in annual research funding, ranking second in sponsored research funding among Canadian universities.

Among the top five Canadian universities in annual total research funding from Canada’s three federal government granting councils: CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC.

More than 330 teaching and research agreements with governments and partner institutions in 50+ countries.

Produced 96 inventions and negotiated 23 licenses/options to use technologies in 2009/10.

Pioneered bitumen extraction from Alberta’s oil-rich soil and continue to pursure greener energy production methods.

Played a key role in discovering insulin after U of A chemist James Collip refined the pancreatic extract obtained by Frederick Banting and Charles Best for use in humans.

Awarded four Canada Excellence Research Chairs in 2010, a $10-million prize that supports Canada's top professors and their research teams; U of A earned twice as many as any other Canadian university.

Cold-fX, a leading preventative medicine against the common cold, was invented by U of A spin‑off company CV Technologies.

Prototyped a nano ultrasound device that can stimulate the
re-growth of tooth root tissue.