Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Kwantlen Polytechnic University
MottoThrough Tireless Effort, Knowledge, and Understanding
TypePublic
Established1981; 43 years ago (1981)
Endowment$13 million[1]
ChairpersonIvy Chen
ChancellorKim Baird[2]
PresidentAlan Davis[3]
ProvostDiane Purvey[4]
Academic staff
1,400
Students14,259[5]
Undergraduates14,050
Postgraduates209
Location
Surrey, Richmond, Langley, Cloverdale
,
British Columbia
,
Canada
CampusUrban, 92.988 acres (0.376 km2) net
Colours  Rich Burgundy
  White
AffiliationsAUCC, IAU, CICan, UnivCan ACU, CBIE, CUP
MascotEagle
Websitewww.kpu.ca

Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) is a public undergraduate degree-granting polytechnic university in British Columbia, Canada, with campuses in Surrey, Richmond, Cloverdale, Whalley, and Langley. KPU is one of the largest institutions by enrolment in British Columbia garnering a total of 20,000 students and 1,400 faculty members across its five locations, encompassing the Metro Vancouver district. KPU provides undergraduate and vocational education including bachelor's degrees, associate degrees, diplomas, certificates, apprenticeships, and citations in more than 140 diverse programs.

The school operates largely as an undergraduate polytechnic university, but also serves as a vocational school offering apprenticeships for the skilled trades as well as citations, certificates, and diplomas for skilled technicians and workers in support roles in various professional fields related to academia, engineering, high technology, accountancy, business administration, financial services, hospitality, nursing, medicine, architecture, and criminology.

Kwantlen Polytechnic was founded as Kwantlen College in 1981; as a response to the growing need for expanded vocational training across the Fraser Valley. In 1995, it became a university college.[6] In 2008, the provincial government announced its intention to amend the University Act to appoint Kwantlen University College a polytechnic university. The legislation renaming the university college to university received royal assent on May 29, 2008, and KPU began operation as Kwantlen Polytechnic University on September 1, 2008.[7][8][9] KPU became a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) on October 24, 2008.[10] Also in affiliation with KPU include: the International Association of Universities (IAU), the Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan), the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE), and the Canadian University Press (CUP).

The Globe and Mail Canadian University Report ranked KPU among the top post-secondary institutions in terms of enrolment across Canada, earning numerous grades in the A-to-B range in categories such as quality of teaching and learning, career preparation, student satisfaction and information technology.[11] Published in Maclean's magazine, the National Survey of Student Engagement also listed KPU among the top Canadian institutions in terms of student participation, educational practices, and quality of education.[12]

  1. ^ "KPU Foundation 2017 Financial Statement" (PDF).
  2. ^ "About the Chancellor". Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  3. ^ "Office of the President". Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  4. ^ "Office of the Provost and Vice President, Academic". Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  5. ^ "Enrolment by university". Universities Canada. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  6. ^ "Kwantlen's Timeline of Success". Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  7. ^ "Kwantlen granted full university status". Surrey Now. CanWest MediaWorks Publications Inc. April 22, 2008. Archived from the original on January 1, 2011. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  8. ^ Queen's Printer, Victoria. Votes and Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia 4th Session, 38th Parliament, May 29, 2008. Retrieved on: September 6, 2008
  9. ^ "An Overview of B.C.'s Public Post-secondary Institutions". Archived from the original on September 25, 2009. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  10. ^ Pires, David (October 26, 2008). "Kwantlen accepted by national universities association". Kwantlen Chronicle. Archived from the original on March 31, 2009.
  11. ^ "Canadian University Report" (PDF). The Globe and Mail. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 16, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  12. ^ "National Survey of Student Engagement: A truer measure of quality".