Simon Fraser University

Overview

Simon Fraser University (SFU) is a public research university in Canada. It has been recognized by Maclean’s magazine as the country’s top comprehensive university from 2015 to 2019. SFU currently has three campuses: the main campus in Burnaby, Vancouver, and Surrey. Built to expand higher education across the country, SFU offers undergraduate, graduate, and non-credit programs on a year-round, trimester schedule.

Founded in 1965, Simon Fraser University exudes a distinct west-coast spirit. The university was established as a response to the recommendation presented in the 1962 report by John B. Macdonald titled Higher Education in British Columbia and a Plan for the Future. In the report, Macdonald suggested the establishment of a new higher education institution in the Lower Mainland. The suggestion was given formal assent by the British Columbia Legislature on March 1, 1963, and the construction of the main campus in Burnaby began. The institution was then named after the North West Company trader and explorer, Simon Fraser.

Between the sixties and early seventies, the university, particularly the main campus, became a place of activism. It led to heated crises and disagreements across the Department of Political Science, Sociology, and Anthropology, as faculty members had clashing ideologies. In order to resolve the dispute, the department was dismantled, eventually giving birth to separate departments.

Currently, Simon Fraser University is composed of eight faculties: Applied Science, Arts and Social Sciences, Communication, Art and Technology, Education, Environment, Health Sciences, and Business. Aside from the undergraduate and graduate courses offered through these faculties, SFU also offers continuing education programs to help students achieve professional and personal goals. As of 2016, SFU’s Continuing Studies department offers over 300 non-credit courses and around 30 diploma and certificate programs. These are delivered online or part-time from the Vancouver and Surrey campuses. Furthermore, the university also gives working adults an opportunity to pursue a degree through their SFU NOW: Nights or Weekends program.

Over the decades, SFU has developed a vision to become an “engaged university” defined by cutting-edge research, integration of innovative education, and community engagement. To help achieve this, the university maintains worldwide linkages for its research and academic programs. SFU also engages a significant population of international students.

With the new tagline, “Canada’s engaged university,” SFU works with organizations, communities, and industry partners to create opportunities and embrace new knowledge that inspires change. To stay true to its mission, the university partners with international universities such as Zhejiang University in China and Monash University in Australia.