Media

OTTAWA, November 1, 2011  —  Outstanding leadership and solid research have placed the University of Ottawa in an elite group: on the top ten list of the country’s best research institutions, according to the latest report published by RE$EARCH Infosource Inc. (RI).

This week, the Toronto-based company released its annual list of Research Universities of the Year (RUY). The University’s leadership in research ensured its place within the top ten rankings for the sixth consecutive year. The ranking takes into account research funding, faculty research intensity, total number of publications, publication intensity and publication impact.

New this year, a list of Canada’s top 40 Research Hospitals ranked the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, the major university academic health centre, sixth overall. University of Ottawa professors and clinicians at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute have made great strides in developing innovative stem cell therapies and cancer-fighting viruses and have bettered medical practice around the world through clinical trials in emergency medicine, blood transfusions and thrombosis.

Last week, Maclean’s annual ranking of universities also placed uOttawa among the top 10 universities in Canada overall. Research intensity rankings placed the University second in Canada in the fields of natural and health sciences and fifth in the humanities and social sciences.

“I am delighted to witness the continued success of our professors and students. Their discoveries are the cornerstone of our future prosperity,” said Mona Nemer, vice-president, research.

Just weeks ago, the University unveiled Destination 20/20, its strategic plan for the next decade, which will focus on four key areas: research, student experience, internationalization and bilingualism. In line with its vision, the University is working hard to implement several research–related initiatives, including the Centre for Advanced Photonics and Environmental Analysis (CAPEA), which will be home to world-leading experts conducting breakthrough research in photonics and environmental analysis, and the University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute (uOBMRI), where leading scientists will foster collaborations to explore and solve the pressing medical challenges relating to the human brain. The University of Ottawa is also making translating scientific knowledge and discoveries into public policy a priority.

The University of Ottawa is committed to research excellence and encourages an interdisciplinary approach to knowledge creation, which attracts the best academic talent from across Canada and around the world. It is an important stakeholder in the National Capital Region’s economic development.