Message from President Vivek Goel
Welcome. As President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Waterloo, I am proud to welcome you to our innovative institution.
The best and brightest are drawn to the University of Waterloo for our renowned academic programs, our world-leading co-operative education and our teaching and research excellence.
Waterloo has long fostered a culture of curiosity, exploration, risk-taking, entrepreneurship, global stewardship and leadership. In 1957, innovation and entrepreneurship brought University of Waterloo into being, as a group of business leaders imagined a new university built to tackle some of the world’s most daunting challenges.
Today, with more than 42,000+ students attending annually, Waterloo is #1 in Canada for experiential learning and employer-student connections. We bring bold ideas and brilliant minds together — inspiring innovations with global impact today and in the future.
During this period of rapid societal, technological and environmental change, our focus over the next few years is to continue to build on our unconventional foundation. We will position Waterloo to develop talent for a complex future, advance research for global impact and strengthen Waterloo’s sustainable and diverse communities.
Whether you are already part of our University community or looking to learn more about our institution, I invite you to connect with us, read our strategic plan or visit one of our campuses.
Sincerely,
Vivek Goel, CM
President and Vice-Chancellor
News
On April 11, President Vivek Goel held a President's Forum to share the Waterloo at 100 vision.
The hybrid forum was an opportunity for staff and faculty to hear from President Goel how the Waterloo at 100 vision will help guide the University into an uncertain, yet promising future.
Hosted as part of the 2023 Staff Conference, the President answered a wide array of questions from both an in-person and online audience about the future of the University.
Lessons from COVID-19: we need long-term investment in research
September 27
COVID-19 showed us what long-term investment in research does for us, and how much we depend on university researchers to future-proof our country.
It’s not just the obvious areas of science that need funding to give us the resilience we need as a nation. We need investment across all disciplines.
Canada’s science and tech ecosystem is broken
September 20
We continue to fall behind other countries in harnessing the power of science and technology to improve productivity. Particularly with the advent of generative AI, if we don’t get this right we will fall even further behind, perhaps with no chance of ever catching up.
Fall 2023 welcome message
August 31
Welcome to another academic year. I hope that you had some time off this summer, and an opportunity to slow down. While research, learning and your commitment to your duties continues throughout the year, every September brings a special energy and a sense of something new to our campuses.
Research Funding
August 22
It’s past time for Canada to fund graduate students and researchers properly — our future depends on it
In a rapidly changing world research universities are essential for ensuring that Canada had the knowledge and talent necessary to keep up.
UW committed to fostering inclusive and safe environment — for all
July 4
We must all remain committed to fostering inclusive, safe, and welcoming environments for all members of our community — denouncing all forms of hate, discrimination, and violence.
There are people who would like to intimidate us. They want us to be afraid — afraid to learn, afraid to share, afraid to speak our truths. But we will not let this deter us from proclaiming loudly, our values of inclusion and openness.
No Place for Hate
June 29
Yesterday, three members of our community were violently attacked in a horrific act that targeted gender expression and identity. It is unimaginable that this hate exists in some people’s hearts. We gather now, as a community, to affirm that hate has no place here.
We are united against all forms of violence, hatred and bigotry. We are committed to fostering an inclusive, safe, and welcoming environment for members of our community – denouncing all forms of hate, discrimination, and violence.