The University of Lethbridge’s research excellence and commitment to the student experience continue to solidify its place as one of the country’s top universities as recognized by Maclean’s 2017 University Rankings.

For the fifth consecutive year, the U of L was ranked third in the Primarily Undergraduate category, a classification of 19 universities from across the country.

“It’s exciting to continue to make strides in areas that we have identified as key priorities for the University, namely research, teaching and student services,” says U of L President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Mike Mahon. “Our focus on providing a supportive student experience, coupled with the commitment of our faculty to be leaders in both research and the classroom creates a unique campus atmosphere that continues to garner national recognition.”

The U of L earned a tie for top spot in the Student Services category (percentage of a university’s budget spent on student services), moving up one spot from the previous year and continuing a trend that reflects the University’s commitment to its students.

“I think when you see our enrolment numbers at an all-time high, as they were this fall, it reflects the reputation our faculty and staff have helped create over the years, that this is a place where students are the number one priority,” says Mahon.

The rankings also saw the U of L rise three spots in the Student Satisfaction category, to eighth overall.

Another key indicator was the University’s second-place ranking in Medical/Science Grants. This category is a measure of the success of full-time faculty members in obtaining research grants from the federal funding agencies National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). It is the third successive year that the U of L has been ranked first or second in this category.

“Our faculty continue to push ahead as research leaders and their collective reputation provincially, nationally and beyond continues to grow,” says Mahon. “I can’t help but be excited about the development of the new Science and Academic Building and the Destination Project over the next few years and how that will further enhance our research capacity on campus and attract new scholars to southern Alberta.”

Reputationally, the University is rated fourth in the country. This category reflects the views on quality and innovation from hundreds of university faculty and administrators as well as high school guidance counsellors and business people surveyed across the country.

The complete Maclean’s University Rankings report was sent to digital subscribers on Wednesday, Oct. 26, with the print version to be released Thursday.