About the University of Prince Edward Island
Since time immemorial, the Mi’kmaq People have walked gently on the traditional territories of Epekwitk, where the University of Prince Edward Island is located. We acknowledge that Mi’kma’ki is the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People, who, in 1725 first signed Treaties of Peace and Friendship. We recognize Elders past and present who have cared for, and continue to care for, the land. In offering this acknowledgement, we affirm the history, experiences, and resiliency of Indigenous people who are still here today. We are grateful to live, work, and learn here, and we are committed to building relationships based in honour and respect.
About the University of Prince Edward Island
Located in Charlottetown, the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) has a rich history with roots in two founding institutions, Prince of Wales College (est. 1834) and Saint Dunstan’s University (est. 1855). Formed in 1969 as the provincial university, UPEI honours its proud legacy through academic excellence and research innovation.
UPEI’s ten faculties (Arts; Business; Education; Graduate Studies; Indigenous Knowledge, Education, Research, and Applied Studies; Medicine; Nursing; Science; Sustainable Design Engineering; and Veterinary Medicine (Atlantic Veterinary College)) and two schools (Climate Change and Adaptation, and Mathematical and Computational Sciences) offer a wide range of programs and degrees to their undergraduate, post-degree, graduate, and doctoral students. Home to Canada Research Chairs, a UNESCO Chair in Island Studies and Sustainability, endowed and sponsored research chairs, and 3M National Teaching Fellows, UPEI offers its students access to exceptional faculty, researchers, and staff. Students come from all walks of life and from local, regional, national, and international locations to study and learn at UPEI. In 2022, international students from 96 countries comprised almost 32 per cent of the University’s total enrolment of 5,533 students at its Charlottetown campus. Also, UPEI has a thriving campus in Cairo, Egypt.
In addition to welcoming students to its home campus, UPEI extends its reach beyond the province’s shores. Students have the opportunity to experience other cultures while studying abroad and earning credits toward their UPEI degree. The University also offers post-secondary students in Asia, Africa, and Europe the opportunity to earn certain UPEI degrees based on its curriculum and rigorous educational standards.
The University’s beautiful 140-acre home campus consists of 30 academic, administrative, residential, and athletics buildings and facilities, the newest of which is the 76,000-square-foot Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering building. A $60 million, 22,000-square-foot residence facility, featuring housing for 376 students, a state-of-the-art theatre, and multi-purpose academic space, was recently constructed and opened in advance of the 2023 Canada Winter Games. The 45,000-square-foot Canadian Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation was officially opened in the spring of 2022. It houses academic space, residence rooms, research centres of excellence, the UPEI Climate Lab, and a drone port. A new five-storey, 140,000 square-foot facility is home to the Faculty of Medicine, a patient medical home that will serve 10,000 patients, and an interprofessional simulation and clinical skills training centre.
University of Prince Edward Island at a Glance
- over 5,000 undergraduate students
- over 600 graduate students
- over 1,800 international students from over 100 countries and regions
- a students-to-faculty ratio of 18:1
- average undergraduate class size of 23
- over $11M in student scholarships and awards
- over 30,000 alumni in 104 countries
- over 900 faculty and staff
- eight (8) Research Chairs
- over $11M in external research funding
Mission
Founded on the tradition of liberal education, UPEI exists to encourage and assist people to acquire the skills, knowledge, and understanding necessary for critical and creative thinking, and thus prepare them to contribute to their own betterment and that of society through the development of their full potential. To accomplish these ends, the University is a community of scholars whose primary tasks are to teach and to learn, to engage in scholarship and research, and to offer service for the benefit of our Island and beyond.
Vision
The University of Prince Edward Island will be a leader in providing outstanding programs and experiential learning opportunities that enable our students to develop to their full potential in both the classroom and the community, ensuring our students emerge from their studies ready to excel and contribute to the betterment of our world.
Values
UPEI's values are drawn from the principles on which the University of Prince Edward Island was established in 1969—Academic Freedom and Rigour; Accountability and Integrity; Excellence; and Inclusion, Equity and Reconciliation.
Strategic Priorities
Education for a Connected World
UPEI’s value to our students and communities stems from the quality of education and learning experiences. UPEI is committed to building upon our strengths in teaching, scholarship, and research to deliver transformative learning experiences that support our students and alumni in their development within a complex, changing world. As outlined in our mission, UPEI is a community of scholars with the primary tasks to teach and to learn, to engage in scholarship and research, and to offer service for the benefit of our Island and beyond. UPEI is committed to delivering increasingly dynamic multidisciplinary programs that connect our students to global opportunities and lifelong learning.
Inclusive Campus Culture
UPEI provides world-class learning within an environment known for its sense of community and support. Working together, UPEI will identify and promote new pathways for the overall health and sense of belonging for our campus members. In particular, UPEI is committed to implementing new measures of awareness, training, and supports that contribute to the well-being of our students, faculty, and staff.
Scholarship, Research, and Discovery
UPEI has a strong reputation for research impact and for being home to world-class researchers and talented graduate students. The University is committed to exploration and discovery, and is driven in its desire to contribute outcomes that benefit our communities. Through collaborative endeavours and scholarly activities, UPEI seeks to create new knowledge and provide solutions to challenges facing our world. Core to this process is the development of the next generation of academic, scientific, community, and artistic leaders.
Community Partnerships
UPEI will continue to develop strategic collaborative partnerships—within the University, the local community, and globally—that contribute to our students’ educational experiences and our University’s mission of offering knowledge and service for the benefit of our Island and beyond. Through higher learning and collaboration, UPEI will contribute to the social, cultural, environmental, and economic sustainability of our communities in ways that enrich the lives of community members.
Responsible Growth and Resource Management
As a public institution, UPEI is committed to responsible management of University resources for the short- and long-term health of our institution. This includes well-developed strategies to support the growth of our people and the quality of education we provide, as well as effective planning and stewardship of our fiscal and physical resources. In doing so, the University will be challenged to identify new sources of funding and keep pace with rapidly changing expectations and highly integrated global trends impacting post-secondary education.
