University of Regina Profile

Dr. William Riddell Centre (right) and College West Residence (left) on main campus. Photo: U of R Photography Dept.

The University of Regina's main campus and historic original College Avenue campus, covering 930 acres, provide an attractive study and work environment for the more than 14,200 full-time and part-time students who attended during 2010-11 as well as 406 full-time faculty, 865 permanent staff and approximately 1,300 term or casual employees.

Both the main campus and College Avenue campus are located in Wascana Centre, one of the largest urban parks in North America and the first in Canada to be created by a tri-level government/education partnership.

In the 2010-11 fiscal year the University's operating expenditures were $152 million. The University also received nearly $24 million in research funding. Including capital and other spending, total expenditures were $230 million.

History of the University of Regina

We have a proud history of excellence in teaching, research and continual commitment to our community. More than one hundred years of excellence in education has created a university devoted to making a difference.

The University of Regina has its roots in Regina College, a small residential high school established by the Methodist church in 1911. It grew in size and significance becoming a campus of the University of Saskatchewan and ultimately an independent degree granting university, the University of Regina, in 1974.

University of Regina alumni - now numbering more than 58,000 - contribute to and build our society in Saskatchewan and in Canada, and are our ambassadors to the world. Our history, our accomplishments, our growth as a university stem from our commitment to working together for the good of our community, from local to global.

Strategic Plan

The University of Regina is a community devoted to creating greater opportunity through knowledge and action. Our strategic plan  mâmawohkamâtowin: Our Work, Our People, Our Communities, (360 KB) is a detailed expression of that commitment. The Cree word "mâmawohkamâtowin" means working together towards common goals. It describes the commitment we embrace as we daily set about fulfilling our vision as:

"... a welcoming, student-focused institution that combines deep-rooted values with innovative thinking, classroom theory with real world practice, and global ideas with regional needs. We aspire to be one of Canada's best comprehensive universities."

Centre for Kinesiology, Health and Sport at the University. Photo: U of R Photography Dept.

Our Programs

Today the University of Regina is home to 10 faculties and 25 academic departments which have established reputations for excellence and innovative programs leading to bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.

The University offers specialized programs in a number of areas including journalism, social work, media production and studies, actuarial science, petroleum engineering, fine arts, software systems, education, police studies, health studies, public policy, business administration, and many others. We are proud that our undergraduate Petroleum Systems Engineering Program is one of the largest in North America.

In the fall 2011, the University began accepting students into the Saskatchewan Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program. This program is offered collaboratively by faculty from the University of Regina and the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST). University programs – like the nursing program – have grown in response to the needs of the province; the balance of scholarship, research and public service is attracting students and international attention. We are proud that we were the first Canadian university to offer a Bachelor of Arts in Police Studies. The program has resulted in important partnerships with police services in the province and beyond.

We are also proud of the depth we have developed in the critical area of experiential learning. Ours was the first university in Western Canada to offer a co-operative education program and our graduates leave our campus prepared to succeed in the world. The Co-operative Education & Internships Program is available in arts, business administration, engineering and science (computer science, physics, chemistry and biochemistry, and mathematics and statistics including actuarial science internships). In addition to our traditional co-operative programs we offer a wide variety of internship opportunities.

The confidence we feel in our students and their success is expressed through the UR Guarantee Program. This offering provides students with access to critical academic, leadership and service opportunities throughout their undergraduate study. Once a student successfully completes the UR Guarantee Program, s/he should possess the skills and knowledge necessary to start his or her career within six months of graduation. If the student is not successful, the University will pay for one year's worth (30 credits) of additional undergraduate tuition and course fees. Other examples of program innovation and excellence include:

• The Humanities Research Institute, which provides a catalyst for productive workshops, lectures and conferences.
• The Centre on Aging and Health, the only gerontology research centre in the province.
• The Bachelor of Health Studies Program, which emphasizes an interdisciplinary understanding of health care, drawing on both the social and natural sciences. The program is unique in its emphasis on understanding the health needs of Indigenous peoples.
• The Kenneth Levene Graduate School of Business, a centre of excellence in graduate business education within the Faculty of Business Administration.
• The Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, which provides a foundation of theory, practice and research to prepare students for careers in public management, public policy research or the non-profit and private sectors.
• The Institut français, which is committed to the professional, linguistic and cultural development of la francophonie by providing access to post-secondary courses, programs and services in French. It also includes a centre of research that is national in scope and recognition.

North and South Residences. Photo: U of R Photography Dept.

Federated Colleges

The University of Regina works closely with its three federated colleges offering excellence and diversity in educational experiences:

• First Nations University of Canada
  The University of Regina recognized the important need to promote First Nations research and scholarship and increase employment opportunities for Aboriginal people. That commitment led to the creation of the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College (SIFC) in 1976. In 2005, SIFC became known as the First Nations University of Canada, an independently governed post-secondary institution, federated with the University of Regina to fulfill a vision of creating greater opportunity for Canada's Aboriginal people to excel and prosper in today's world.
  
  
• Campion College
  A Catholic, Jesuit liberal arts college, Campion College provides a unique university experience characterized by a strong sense of community and focus on personal support.
  
  
• Luther College
  Luther College is a university within a university. Its focus is on teaching and on being student-centered. Luther College teaches a variety of courses within the faculties of Arts, Fine Arts and Science. Students may also begin several pre-professional programs through Luther.
  
  

Partnering with other Universities

Over the last three decades the University has developed meaningful and lasting relationships with prominent universities in China as well as trusted relationships with representatives of the People's National Congress. In 2011, we celebrated those relationships and the cross-cultural understanding and partnerships which have resulted. Our international reach continues to extend outwards with positive results.

Innovative Research

Our new Strategic Research Plan (87 KB) will guide our research and scholarly endeavours through 2015. The plan identifies three signature themes and accompanying sub-themes of demonstrated and sustained excellence, namely:

• Sustainable development (energy and natural resources; environment)
• Human development (health; human justice, safety and security; arts; culture and heritage)
• Knowledge creation and discovery (information and communication; pure discovery-based research; community-based research).

Our commitment to discovery and opportunity extends beyond our campus and also finds its meaning in research undertaken through community partnership:

• Innovation Place Regina, adjacent to the main campus, has produced synergies and research partnerships with industry and government.
• Springboard West Innovations harnesses the imagination of researchers and entrepreneurs and helps them make the all-important step of turning great ideas into tangible products for the international marketplace.
• The University-Industry Liaison Office, established through a joint venture with the City of Regina and the University, enables further commercialization of research through technology transfer.

Historic College Avenue Campus. Photo: U of R Photography Dept.

Campus Growth

The University of Regina has experienced impressive physical expansion. From 1994 to 2009 campus development led to an increase of more than 1.3 million square feet responding to the needs of our faculty, our researchers and our students.

In 2002, the addition of 66,000 square feet in a two-storey expansion of the Education Building helped to accommodate state-of-the-art classrooms and case rooms. Further campus expansion has provided accommodation for the Greenhouse Gas Technology Centre, the International Test Centre for Carbon Dioxide Capture and other research projects focused on developing new ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

In the fall of 2004, three new buildings opened:

• a $38 million, 697-bed residence, which doubled capacity on campus
• a $32 million Centre for Kinesiology, Health and Sport
• the first phase of a $5.6 million emergency energy centre

Completed in 2008, our Research and Innovation Centre received national attention from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada when it was profiled as an example of excellence in functional design in Award, the Magazine of Sustainable Architecture, Construction and Design. The Research and Innovation Centre is just one example of our commitment to creating a modern campus while being fully aware of the environmental values associated with smart design. Over the same period of campus expansion the University has realized an overall reduction in carbon emissions by decreasing heating and power consumption by 35 per cent - resulting in annual savings of more than $2 million.

In 2011, the University launched an ambitious plan to revitalize our historic College Avenue campus  (3.2 MB) , which began as Regina College.  The College Building, the Conservatory and Darke Hall will be fully restored and adaptively reused as a fundamental part of the University of Regina. After revitalization, the campus will serve as a provincial and national destination, integrating academic programming with outreach and training for both public and private sector professionals.

Research and Innovation Centre (RIC) Photo: U of R Photography Dept.

University’s Impact on the Community

The University helps create capacity for social, cultural and economic development, and has long been recognized as a major player in strengthening and diversifying the local economy. The annual payroll of more than $114 million has a significant economic impact in Regina and the surrounding area. In addition, the financial impact of construction activities has contributed to an economic expansion for the City of Regina. Our students, more than 51 per cent of whom come from outside Regina, also add to the local economy.

The University of Regina contributes significantly to life in the community. The University is a popular venue for concerts, art, sports, public lectures and theatre, and other events and is a source of invaluable expertise in many areas. In 2005, the University was a key partner with the City of Regina and area communities in hosting the 2005 Canada Summer Games and providing the headquarters for the Games, including the site for the Athletes' Village and numerous sporting events. In 2010, the University hosted the nationally acclaimed Massey Lecture, delivered by celebrated author Douglas Coupland.