University of Waterloo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
University of Waterloo

Seal of the University of Waterloo
Former names	Waterloo College Associate Faculties (1956–1959)
Motto	Concordia cum veritate  (Latin)
Motto in English	In harmony with truth
Type	Public research university
Established	1959 (1959)
Academic affiliations	ACU, CARL, COU, CUSID, Fields Institute, Universities Canada, U15
Endowment	CA$492 million (2023)
Chancellor	Dominic Barton
President	Vivek Goel CM
Provost	James Rush
Academic staff	1,355
Administrative staff	2,691
Undergraduates	34,204
Postgraduates	6,309
Location	Waterloo , Ontario , Canada 43°28′8″N 80°32′24″W / 43.46889°N 80.54000°W / 43.46889; -80.54000 Cambridge Campus Stratford Campus Kitchener Campus
Campus	Urban, 450 hectares (1,112 acres)
Colours
Nickname	Warriors
Sporting affiliations	U SPORTS, OUA
Mascot	King Warrior

The University of Waterloo (also called UWaterloo or UW) is a big public university in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It's known for its research and its unique co-op education program. The main campus is huge, covering about 404 hectares (that's like 1,000 acres!) near uptown Waterloo. The university also has three smaller campuses and four colleges that work closely with it.

Waterloo offers many different study programs through its six main departments, called faculties. It has the largest co-op education program in the world. This means over 20,000 students get to work in real jobs while they study. The university is also part of the U15, which is a group of top research universities in Canada.

The university started on April 4, 1956, as the Waterloo College Associate Faculties. It was part of Waterloo College, which is now Wilfrid Laurier University. In 1959, it became its own university. It was created to help train engineers and technicians for Canada's growing economy after World War II. It grew quickly, adding an arts department in 1960 and a School of Optometry in 1967.

Today, about 36,000 undergraduate students and 6,200 graduate students attend Waterloo. Many famous people have studied or worked here, including award winners, government leaders, and business owners. The university's sports teams are called the Waterloo Warriors. They compete in the Ontario University Athletics conference.

University History

How Waterloo University Started

The University of Waterloo began from Waterloo College, which is now Wilfrid Laurier University. In 1953, Gerald Hagey, the president of Waterloo College, wanted to expand the school. To get money from the government, they created a new, non-religious group called the Waterloo College Associate Faculties on April 4, 1956.

This new group focused on a special way of learning called co-operative education. This idea came from Ira Needles. It meant students would learn in classrooms and also get training in real jobs. Even though some people didn't like the idea at first, the Associate Faculties welcomed their first students in July 1957.

In 1958, the Associate Faculties bought a large piece of land and built their first building, the Chemical Engineering Building. In 1959, the government officially made it the University of Waterloo. This new university had a special way of being run, with a group for school rules (the senate) and a group for money (the board of governors).

Key Milestones and Growth

Waterloo was one of the first universities in North America to have a computer science department. This was a big step forward! In 1967, it also created the world's first department for kinesiology, which is the study of how the body moves.

Wes Graham (right) with an IBM computer. Waterloo was one of the first universities in North America to establish a department of computer science.

In 1995, Waterloo joined with Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Guelph to share library resources. This helped all three universities save money and offer more to their students.

Waterloo in the 21st Century

In 2001, the university started building the David Johnston Research and Technology Park on its north campus. This park helps high-tech companies work with university professors, co-op students, and alumni. It's a place where new ideas and businesses can grow. The first building in the park opened in 2004.

From 2009 to 2012, Waterloo even had programs in Dubai. Students could study chemical engineering, civil engineering, and other subjects there. However, the university decided to close the Dubai campus in 2012.

University Campus

The main campus of the University of Waterloo is in the city of Waterloo, Ontario. It's on land that has been home to the Neutral, Anishnaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples for a long time. The campus is next to Waterloo Park and Wilfrid Laurier University.

Most of the teaching buildings are in the southern part of the campus, arranged around a ring road. The oldest building on campus is the Graduate House, which used to be a farmhouse from the 1800s. The first building built for the university was the Douglas Wright Engineering Building in 1958. Many of the university's buildings were built in the 1960s.

Completed in 1850, the Brubacher House is one of the oldest buildings on campus. The farmhouse was acquired by the university in 1965.

The main campus has three parts: South Campus (where most classes are), North Campus (with the Research and Technology Park), and Northwest Campus (mostly fields and a nature area).

Waterloo also owns other properties in cities like Cambridge, Huntsville, Kitchener, and Stratford. The Ion rapid transit system connects the main campus to some of these other locations.

Panoramic view of the main campus from the field south of BC Matthews Hall

Libraries and Museums at Waterloo

The university has four libraries with over 1.4 million books. They also have many online books and resources. Three libraries are on the main campus:

• The Dana Porter Library has books for arts, humanities, and social sciences.
• The Davis Centre Library has materials for engineering, math, and science.
• The Witer Learning Resource Centre is for the School of Optometry and Vision Science.

The fourth library, the Musagetes Architecture Library, is in Cambridge. The libraries of the university's partner colleges are also part of the system. Waterloo's library system works with the University of Guelph and Wilfrid Laurier University to share resources.

Waterloo also has the Earth Sciences Museum on campus. It's a teaching museum for local schools. It has exhibits on the Great Lakes, rocks, minerals, dinosaurs, and ice age animals. You can even see a full cast of an Albertosaurus skeleton! There's also a special mining tunnel that teaches about sustainable mining. The university also runs the Museum of Vision Science in the School of Optometry building.

Student Housing and Facilities

Waterloo has eight student residences on its main campus. These include Minota Hagey Residence, UW Place, Village 1, Ron Eydt Village, Mackenzie King Village, Columbia Lake North and South, and Claudette Millar Hall. Students can also live in the residences at the university's partner colleges.

Minota Hagey Residence, one of eight residences at the university's main campus

The Student Life Centre is a busy place for students. It's open all year round. It has offices for student groups, shops, food places, and study rooms. In 2017, they started building a big expansion to the Student Life Centre and the Physical Activities Complex.

The Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) runs an information desk called the Turnkey Desk in the Student Life Centre. It's open 24/7 and helps students with things like booking study spaces, finding events, and getting directions. They also sell tickets for public transport and movies. Most of the staff are university students.

Off-Campus Locations

The university has several other campuses and facilities in Southern Ontario. Close to the main campus, Waterloo bought land and buildings from BlackBerry Ltd in 2013.

The Centre for Extended Learning in Kitchener offers online courses and professional development. Kitchener also has the university's School of Pharmacy. This building was designed by Siamak Hariri and opened in 2008. It's also used by McMaster University's medical school and Wilfrid Laurier University's School of Social Work.

The university's School of Pharmacy based in Kitchener

The Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business is in Stratford, Ontario. It focuses on digital arts and media. It opened in September 2010.

The university's School of Architecture is in Cambridge, Ontario, by the Grand River. It moved to this new campus in September 2004. Since 1979, the School of Architecture has also had a studio in Rome, Italy. Fourth-year architecture students can study there.

Main building in Cambridge, Ontario

Trastevere studio, Rome

The university's School of Architecture operates from several off-campus facilities

Another facility is the Waterloo Summit Centre for the Environment in Huntsville, Ontario. It's a research and teaching center used for studying ecological restoration and conservation.

Environmental Efforts

The university works to be environmentally friendly. In 2009, Waterloo and other Ontario universities promised to make their campuses more responsible for the environment.

Waterloo's School of Environment, Enterprise and Development was ranked first in Canada in 2011 for its business programs that include sustainability. In 2021, the university was ranked 99th in the world for its efforts towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Waterloo's Institute for Nanotechnology is Canada's largest nanotechnology institute. It is also committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

How the University is Run

The University of Waterloo is run by two main groups: a board of governors and a senate. The Board of Governors takes care of the university's buildings, money, and overall business. The senate sets the school's education rules and gives advice to the board.

The president is the main leader of the university. They manage the school's daily activities. The chancellor is chosen by the senate and leads graduation ceremonies. Dominic Barton has been the chancellor since 2018. Vivek Goel became the seventh president of the university on July 1, 2021.

Partner Colleges

The university also works closely with three semi-independent colleges and one federated university. These are:

• Conrad Grebel University College: A Mennonite college.
• Renison University College: An Anglican college.
• St. Jerome's University: A Roman Catholic university.
• United College: Started by members of the United Church of Canada, but now independent.

Opening of Renison University College in 1959. The university college is one of three affiliated institutions of the University of Waterloo

These colleges are on the main University of Waterloo campus and have their own student housing. Students who attend these colleges are also considered students of the University of Waterloo. Anyone can enroll, no matter their religious beliefs.

Academics at Waterloo

Waterloo is a public research university. It uses a term system with fall, winter, and spring terms. Most students are undergraduates. In the 2016–2017 school year, the university awarded over 5,700 bachelor's degrees and many master's and doctoral degrees.

The university has six main faculties (departments), which include 13 schools and over 50 academic departments.

The William G. Davis Computer Research Centre houses teaching facilities and a library for engineering, mathematics and science.

Students can get financial help through programs like the Ontario Student Assistance Program and Canada Student Loans and Grants. This help can be in the form of loans, grants, scholarships, and work programs.

Waterloo also partners with other schools for graduate programs. For example, the Balsillie School of International Affairs is a graduate school run with Wilfrid Laurier University. Students can also study abroad through exchange programs with over 100 universities worldwide.

Co-operative Education Program

Waterloo has the world's largest co-operative education (co-op) program, with over 20,000 students. In co-op, students switch between studying in class and working in real jobs. This happens for most of their degree. For engineering students, co-op work terms are required to graduate.

Students are responsible for finding their own work placements. They apply for jobs and go to interviews during their study terms. To get co-op credit, the work term must be full-time, related to their studies, last 16 weeks, and pay at least minimum wage.

The William M. Tatham Centre, home to the Centre for Career Action, and where employers visit campus to conduct interviews with co-op students

After a work term, employers give a performance review. This review is shared with future employers. In 2018, co-op students earned about C$12,100 per work term in Canada. Students in math and computer science programs working in the United States earned even more, averaging US$28,600 (C$38,000) per four-month term. Many co-op graduates find jobs quickly after finishing their degrees.

The William M. Tatham Centre has the Centre for Career Action office. Here, students can get help with resumes, practice interviews, and learn about networking.

WaterlooWorks is the university's official job board. Over 7,000 employers post jobs there. Most jobs are in Canada, but there are also international jobs in places like the United States, France, and Japan. Students can also find their own jobs or start their own companies to get co-op credit.

University Rankings and Reputation

Waterloo is known as a top university. Here's how it ranks:

• The 2024 QS World University Rankings placed Waterloo 115th in the world and 5th in Canada.
• The 2024 Times Higher Education World University Rankings put Waterloo 158th in the world and 7th in Canada.
• In the U.S. News & World Report 2022–23 ranking, Waterloo was 191st in the world and 8th in Canada.
• Maclean's 2023 university rankings placed Waterloo 3rd in Canada for comprehensive universities and 2nd for its reputation.

Waterloo graduates are also highly sought after for jobs. In 2022, QS ranked Waterloo 24th in the world and 2nd in Canada for graduate employability. Many CEOs and leaders recruit from Waterloo. In 2014, a study found that Waterloo had the third-most hired undergraduate students in Silicon Valley. Dr. Steven Woods, an engineering director at Google in Canada, said in 2013 that Waterloo is one of Google's top recruiting universities worldwide, along with MIT and Carnegie Mellon.

Research at Waterloo

The University of Waterloo is part of the U15, a group of 15 top research universities in Canada. In 2018, Waterloo was ranked 12th among Canadian research universities. It received over $189 million in research funding from outside sources in 2017.

The university's institutes for both nanotechnology and quantum computing are in the Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre.

Waterloo's research is highly respected. In 2019, the Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers for World Universities ranked Waterloo 242nd in the world and 10th in Canada.

The university has 41 research centers and institutes. These include the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing, and the Institute for Quantum Computing. In 2018, Waterloo also launched its Artificial Intelligence Institute.

Waterloo works with other organizations on research. For example, the Balsillie School of International Affairs is a graduate school and research center partnered with Waterloo. In 2016, Facebook partnered with Waterloo and other schools to explore new research areas like virtual reality and cybersecurity. In 2019, Microsoft announced a $115 million partnership with Waterloo's Artificial Intelligence Institute.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers at Waterloo developed a special coating that kills the virus. This coating could be used on protective equipment and surfaces. The university also received a grant to help fight COVID-19 misinformation and encourage COVID-19 vaccine acceptance.

How to Get In

The requirements for getting into Waterloo are different for students from Ontario, other Canadian provinces, and international students. The minimum grades needed change each year based on how many students apply and how many spots are available. In 2016, the average high school grade for new students was 90.1 percent.

For engineering and math programs, the university also looks at a student's extra activities, a special application, and sometimes a video interview. This means you might get an offer even if your grades are a bit lower than the average. In 2016, 93.9 percent of first-year students continued their studies at Waterloo.

Student Life at Waterloo

Student Groups and Clubs

The two main student unions are the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) for undergraduate students and the Graduate Student Association (GSA) for graduate students. WUSA started in 1967 and runs businesses, student services, and over 200 student clubs.

The Sedra Student Design Centre, where student design teams work on projects such as making an autonomous vehicle or a Hyperloop pod prototype.

Each of the university's faculties also has its own student society. These groups represent students and offer services like online exam help, resume reviews, and workshops. Some even have discount programs and sell coffee or food.

Student Publications

There are three main student newspapers on campus:

• Imprint: The official student newspaper, published weekly or biweekly.
• mathNEWS: The Math Society's newspaper, known for its funny and creative articles.
• The Iron Warrior: The Engineering Society's newspaper.

mathNEWS gained worldwide attention in February 2024. It published an article about vending machines on campus using facial recognition technology. This story was picked up by many famous news outlets like Business Insider and The Guardian.

Sports and Athletics

The university's sports teams are called the Waterloo Warriors. They play in the Canadian Interuniversity Sports league. Varsity teams include badminton, basketball, football, hockey, soccer, and many more. The sports program started in 1957.

The Waterloo Warriors men's ice hockey team is one of several varsity sports teams operated by the university

Waterloo has many sports facilities. Warrior Field is the biggest stadium, seating 5,400 people. It's used for field hockey and football. The Physical Activity Complex has gyms, beach volleyball courts, squash rooms, and a swimming pool. The Columbia Ice Field has the hockey team's home rink. The university also manages seven outdoor playing fields for varsity and recreational sports.

Entrepreneurship and Startups

The University of Waterloo has a program called Velocity. It's a free startup incubator for students, professors, and alumni. It offers office space, labs, workshops, and business advice. Velocity also gives grants to some student startups.

Many companies started by Waterloo alumni have received funding from big investors. Famous companies like Pebble and Bufferbox came from Waterloo. The founders of Y Combinator, a famous startup accelerator, have said that Waterloo stands out more than any other school when they look for new companies.

In 2017, Waterloo was ranked fourth for universities with the most alumni who have founded "unicorn" startups. Unicorn startups are companies worth over a billion dollars. Some unicorn startups from Waterloo include Wish, Instacart, and Kik Messenger.

University Symbols

The University of Waterloo's coat of arms has been a symbol of the school since 1961. It's also used in the university's logo and for its different departments. The university's official colors are black, gold, and white.

A copy of the Porcellino sculpture outside the Modern Languages Building serves as a mascot for the Faculty of Arts

Each faculty also has its own symbols. Math students have worn pink ties since 1968. A copy of the Porcellino statue outside the Modern Languages Building is a mascot for the Faculty of Arts. This statue was given to the university in 1978.

Coat of Arms Meaning

The university's coat of arms was first used in 1961 and officially registered in 2001. The red-on-gold lions on the arms come from the coat of arms of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. He defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. The city of Waterloo was named after this battle.

The black and white pattern on the chevron (a V-shape) comes from the colors of Prussia. This is a nod to the German heritage of the area. The city of Kitchener, nearby, was originally called Berlin but was renamed after Earl Kitchener during World War I.

Motto and Songs

The university's Latin motto is Concordia cum veritate. This means "In Harmony with Truth." It was introduced in 1961 with the coat of arms.

The main song of the university is "Black and White and Gold." It's often played at graduation ceremonies and sports events.

Famous People from Waterloo

• 

  David Johnston, 28th Governor General of Canada

• 

  Robert Mundell, Nobel laureate in economics

• 

  Donna Strickland, Nobel laureate in physics

• 

  Chris Hadfield, retired Canadian astronaut.

• 

  Mike Lazaridis, founder of BlackBerry Limited.

• 

  Kevin O'Leary, Canadian businessman, author, politician, and television personality.

• 

  Chamath Palihapitiya, CEO of Social Capital and minority owner of the Golden State Warriors.

• 

  Beckie Scott, Olympic gold medalist in cross-country skiing.

• 

  Rupi Kaur, popular Canadian poet and author of Milk and Honey.

Over 221,000 people have graduated from the University of Waterloo. They now live in more than 150 countries. Many graduates have won awards, like George Elliott Clarke (Governor General's Award) and William Reeves (Academy Award).

Two people connected to the university have won the Nobel Prize. In 1999, Robert Mundell won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. In 2018, professor Donna Strickland won the Nobel Prize in Physics for her work with lasers. This was the first Nobel Prize for a Waterloo faculty member! Her discovery helps with things like laser eye surgeries.

Many business leaders have studied or worked at Waterloo. These include David I. McKay (CEO of Royal Bank of Canada), Mike Lazaridis (co-founder of BlackBerry Ltd), and Kevin O’Leary (businessman and TV personality).

Waterloo is also known for its computer science graduates. Some famous names include Rasmus Lerdorf (creator of the PHP programming language), Vitalik Buterin (founder of Ethereum), and William Thomas Tutte (a World War II codebreaker).

Graduates have also become famous in other fields. Heather Moyse, a kinesiology graduate, is an Olympic gold medalist in bobsleigh. Rupi Kaur, a graduate of the Rhetoric and Professional Writing program, is a popular Canadian poet and author of Milk and Honey.

See also

In Spanish: Universidad de Waterloo para niños

• Higher education in Ontario
• J. W. Graham Medal
• List of Canadian universities by endowment
• List of Nobel laureates by university affiliation
• List of universities in Ontario
• Midnight Sun Solar Race Team
• University of Waterloo Nano Robotics Group
• Waterloo Global Science Initiative