University Of New Brunswick
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The University of New Brunswick (UNB) is a
public university A public university, state university, or public college is a university or college that is State ownership, owned by the state or receives significant funding from a government. Whether a national university is considered public varies from o ...
with two primary campuses in
Fredericton Fredericton (; ) is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of New Brunswick. The city is situated in the west-central portion of the province along the Saint John River (Bay of Fundy), Saint John River, ...
and
Saint John, New Brunswick Saint John () is a port#seaport, seaport city located on the Bay of Fundy in the province of New Brunswick, Canada. It is Canada's oldest Municipal corporation, incorporated city, established by royal charter on May 18, 1785, during the reign ...
. It is the oldest
English-language English is a West Germanic language that developed in early medieval England and has since become a English as a lingua franca, global lingua franca. The namesake of the language is the Angles (tribe), Angles, one of the Germanic peoples th ...
university in Canada, and among the oldest public universities in North America. UNB was founded by a group of seven
Loyalists Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cr ...
who left the United States after the
American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...
.Happy Birthday to the University of New Brunswick
. ''MacLeans''. By
Julia Belluz Julia Belluz is a Canadian journalist who specializes in health and science reporting. She is the senior health correspondent for American news website ''Vox (website), Vox'', as of August 2020. Belluz is known for her reporting on various publ ...
. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
UNB has two main campuses: the original campus in Fredericton (UNBF), established in 1785, and a smaller campus in Saint John (UNBSJ), which opened in 1964. The Saint John campus is home to New Brunswick's
anglophone The English-speaking world comprises the 88 countries and territories in which English is an official, administrative, or cultural language. In the early 2000s, between one and two billion people spoke English, making it the largest language ...
medical school A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, professional school, or forms a part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, ...
, Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick, an affiliate of
Dalhousie University Dalhousie University (commonly known as Dal) is a large public research university in Nova Scotia, Canada, with three campuses in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Halifax, a fourth in Bible Hill, Nova Scotia, Bible Hill, and a second medical school campus ...
. Additionally, there are two small satellite health sciences campuses in
Moncton Moncton (; ) is the most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of New Brunswick. Situated in the Petitcodiac River Valley, Moncton lies at the geographic centre of the The Maritimes, Maritime Provinces. Th ...
and Bathurst. UNB offers over 75 degrees in fourteen faculties at the undergraduate and graduate levels, with a total student enrolment of 9,725 between the two principal campuses during the 2021–2022 year. UNB was named the most entrepreneurial university in Canada at the 2014 Startup Canada Awards. The University of New Brunswick has educated numerous Canadian federal cabinet ministers including Sir John Douglas Hazen, William Pugsley and Gerald Merrithew, many Premiers of New Brunswick such as
Frank McKenna Francis Joseph McKenna (born January 19, 1948) is a Canadian businessman and former politician and diplomat. He is currently Chair of Brookfield Corporation and Deputy Chairman of the Toronto-Dominion Bank. He served as Canadian Ambassador ...
and Blaine Higgs, three
puisne justice Puisne judge and puisne justice () are terms for an ordinary judge or a judge of lesser rank of a particular court. The term comes from a combination of the two French words, (since, later) and (born) which have been combined as or ; meaning ...
s of the
Supreme Court of Canada The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC; , ) is the highest court in the judicial system of Canada. It comprises nine justices, whose decisions are the ultimate application of Canadian law, and grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants eac ...
, Oswald Smith Crocket, James Wilfred Estey,
Gérard La Forest Gérard Vincent La Forest (April 1, 1926 – June 12, 2025) was a Canadian judge who was a puisne justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. He served in that capacity from January 16, 1985 to September 30, 1997. He was later counsel at the law f ...
, as well as prominent artists and writers. UNB had ties to the Confederation Poets movement; Bliss Carman and Sir Charles G.D. Roberts were alumni.


History


Founding and charters

In 1783,
Loyalist Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cr ...
settlers began to build upon the ruins of a former
Acadian The Acadians (; , ) are an ethnic group descended from the French who settled in the New France colony of Acadia during the 17th and 18th centuries. Today, most descendants of Acadians live in either the Northern American region of Acadia, ...
village called Ste-Anne-des-Pays-Bas. The new settlement was named Frederick's Town in honour of Prince Frederick, son of
King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...
and uncle of
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
."Fredericton"
. ''Collections Canada''. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
Initially modelled on the
Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...
ideals of older, European institutions, the University of New Brunswick was founded in 1785 as the Academy of Liberal Arts and Sciences, following a petition to the Governor-in-Council on December 13, 1785. The petition requesting the establishment of the school, titled "The Founders' Petition of 1785," was addressed to Governor
Thomas Carleton General Thomas Carleton ( 1735 – 2 February 1817) was an Irish-born British Army officer who was promoted to colonel during the American Revolutionary War after relieving the siege of Quebec in 1776. After the war, he was appointed as Lie ...
and was signed by seven Loyalist men: William Paine, William Wanton, George Sproule, Zephaniah Kingsley, Sr., John Coffin, Ward Chipman, and Adino Paddock."The Founders' Petition of 1785"
. ''UNB Libraries''. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
In response to the request, Carleton requested a drawn "draft charter" modelled on King's College and 6,000 acres of reserved land in Fredericton Parish for the proposed institution. By an 1800 provincial charter, signed by Provincial Secretary Jonathan Odell, the Academy of Liberal Arts and Sciences was transformed into the College of New Brunswick."Historical Sketch of UNB"
. ''About UNB''. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
The college was succeeded by King's College, which was granted by royal charter in December 1827. King's College operated under the control of the
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
until 1859, when it was made non-sectarian by an act of the provincial legislature that transformed the college into the University of New Brunswick."UNB's Heraldic Tapestries"
. ''UNB Libraries''. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
In 1866, Mary Kingsley Tibbits became the first regularly admitted female student of UNB. By 1867, the University of New Brunswick had two faculties: Arts and Applied Science. It awarded the degrees of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts, and
Doctor of Science A Doctor of Science (; most commonly abbreviated DSc or ScD) is a science doctorate awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. Africa Algeria and Morocco In Algeria, Morocco, Libya and Tunisia, all universities accredited by the s ...
. The latter was awarded only in the fields of civil engineering,
electrical engineering Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems that use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...
, and
forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests and woodlands for associated resources for human and Natural environment, environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and ...
. UNB was one of only two schools in Canada in the late 1800s that offered a Forestry Engineering degree (the other being the University of Toronto). So when the federal government began creating Dominion Forests on federal land in Western Canada between 1899 and 1906, most of the first Forest Rangers were from UNB.


20th/21st centuries

In 1906, UNB established a bicameral system of university government consisting of a senate responsible for academic policy, and a board of governors exercising exclusive control over financial policy and other matters. The president, appointed by the board, was to provide a link between the two bodies and to provide institutional leadership. At this time, the university had 156 male students, 21 female students, and only eleven academic staff, who were all male. In 1964, a second, smaller campus was established in
Saint John, New Brunswick Saint John () is a port#seaport, seaport city located on the Bay of Fundy in the province of New Brunswick, Canada. It is Canada's oldest Municipal corporation, incorporated city, established by royal charter on May 18, 1785, during the reign ...
. The growth of the UNBSJ campus is particularly notable, for the campus began with only 96 students spread throughout various buildings in Saint John's central business district. In 1968, UNBSJ moved to its new home at Tucker Park. In 1968, the university's governance structure was reorganized with the aim of giving faculty members control of academic affairs. The UNB Act of 1968 led to the formation of two governing bodies, both chaired by the president. The Board of Governors, whose role was to oversee and give guidance to president as "chief executive officer" was to have four faculty representatives, while the majority of the Senate was to be made up of faculty members elected by their peers. The
Association of University of New Brunswick Teachers The Association of University of New Brunswick Teachers (AUNBT) is the trade union representing the full-time and part-time professors, instructors, and academic librarians at the University of New Brunswick in the province of New Brunswick, Canad ...
(AUNBT) was established in 1954; in 1979, this association became the bargaining agent for all full-time academic staff, and in 2008, it achieved certification for contract academic staff. Throughout the 20th century, the University of New Brunswick held annual
convocation A convocation (from the Latin ''wikt:convocare, convocare'' meaning "to call/come together", a translation of the Ancient Greek, Greek wikt:ἐκκλησία, ἐκκλησία ''ekklēsia'') is a group of people formally assembled for a specia ...
s during the month of October. One of the more notable convocations occurred on October 8, 1957 when
United States Senator The United States Senate consists of 100 members, two from each of the 50 U.S. state, states. This list includes all senators serving in the 119th United States Congress. Party affiliation Independent Senators Angus King of Maine and Berni ...
John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...
attended as a guest speaker and was the recipient of an honorary
Doctor of Laws A Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) is a doctoral degree in legal studies. The abbreviation LL.D. stands for ''Legum Doctor'', with the double “L” in the abbreviation referring to the early practice in the University of Cambridge to teach both canon law ...
degree. His younger brother, Robert F. Kennedy, attended another convocation on October 12, 1967, where he delivered the main address and was granted the same degree as his brother.


Relocation of the Faculty of Law

In 1959, the Faculty of Law moved from Saint John to Fredericton following a report on the status of legal education in Canada by Professor Maxwell Cohen from McGill University, claiming that the Saint John Law School was only "nominally a faculty of UNB". This prompted Chancellor
Lord Beaverbrook William Maxwell Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook (25 May 1879 – 9 June 1964), was a Canadian-British newspaper publisher and backstage politician who was an influential figure in British media and politics of the first half of the 20th century ...
and UNB President Colin B. Mackay to permanently move the Law School despite the Dean's objections.


Campuses

The University of New Brunswick (UNB) is split into two primary campuses: the main campus, UNB Fredericton (UNBF), in
Fredericton Fredericton (; ) is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of New Brunswick. The city is situated in the west-central portion of the province along the Saint John River (Bay of Fundy), Saint John River, ...
, as well as the smaller campus, UNB Saint John (UNBSJ), which is in the Millidgeville area of
New Brunswick New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...
, next to the Saint John Regional Hospital. As of the 2021–2022 academic year, UNB Fredericton (UNBF) had an enrollment of 7,580, while UNB Saint John had an enrollment of 2,145. Both campuses have undergone significant expansion over the years, and many university buildings have received funding from Lord Beaverbrook and other prominent industrialists and philanthropists. UNB's largest expansion coincided with the
baby boom A baby boom is a period marked by a significant increase of births. This demography, demographic phenomenon is usually an ascribed characteristic within the population of a specific nationality, nation or culture. Baby booms are caused by various ...
, when its Fredericton campus tripled in size.


Fredericton

The UNB Fredericton campus is on a hill overlooking the Saint John River. The campus is well known for its colourful fall foliage, Georgian style red-brick buildings, and a very steep hill. UNB Fredericton has shared the "College Hill" with St. Thomas University (STU) since 1964, when the former St. Thomas College moved from Chatham, NB (now Miramichi). While the universities share some infrastructure, they remain separate institutions.


National Historic Sites

Two buildings in Fredericton have been designated
National Historic Sites of Canada National Historic Sites of Canada () are places that have been designated by the federal Minister of the Environment on the advice of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC), as being of national historic significance. Parks C ...
: the 1827 Sir Howard Douglas Hall (Old Arts), and the 1851
William Brydone Jack Observatory The William Brydone Jack Observatory is a small astronomical observatory on the campus of the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Constructed in 1851, it was the first astronomical observatory built in British North Amer ...
.


Architecture

Architect G. Ernest Fairweather designed several of the campus buildings, including the Old Civil Engineering Building (1900) and the Gymnasium (1906). In addition, several of the stained glass windows in the Convocation Hall were created by Robert McCausland Limited. UNBF's War Memorial Hall (usually referred to as Memorial Hall), originally built as a science building in 1924, honours the 35 UNB Alumni who died in
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. UNBF's Brigadier Milton F. Gregg, V.C., Centre for the Study of War and Society (usually referred to as The Gregg Centre) was created in 2006. The Richard J. Currie Center, a five-storey 139,000-square-foot building, was constructed in 2013.


Saint John

The UNB Saint John campus (UNBSJ) is in Tucker Park in the Millidgeville neighbourhood, several kilometres north of the city's central business district, and has views of the
Kennebecasis River The Kennebecasis River ( ) is a tributary of the Saint John River in southern New Brunswick, Canada. The name Kennebecasis is thought to be derived from the Mi'kmaq "''Kenepekachiachk''", meaning "little long bay place." It runs for approximately ...
and Grand Bay-Westfield. New Brunswick's largest health care facility, Saint John Regional Hospital, is adjacent to the UNBSJ campus. Aside from UNB's own facilities, the Saint John campus houses Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick for
Dalhousie University Dalhousie University (commonly known as Dal) is a large public research university in Nova Scotia, Canada, with three campuses in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Halifax, a fourth in Bible Hill, Nova Scotia, Bible Hill, and a second medical school campus ...
, as well as the Gerald S Merrithew Allied Health Education Centre for the New Brunswick Community College. Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick, which opened in the fall of 2010, is a
medical school A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, professional school, or forms a part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, ...
built with provincial funding that operates as a partnership between the
Government of New Brunswick The Government of New Brunswick () is the provincial government of the province of New Brunswick. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867. The Provinces and territories of Canada, Province of New Brunswick has a unicam ...
, the University of New Brunswick and Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Medicine. It is the first anglophone medical school program in New Brunswick, annually serving 40 students. The New Brunswick Community College's Gerald S Merrithew Allied Health Education Centre, which opened on September 1, 2011, is near the Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick building.


History

UNB's presence in Saint John dates back to 1923 when the Saint John Law School, established in 1892, became part of UNB. In 1953, the law school moved to the Starr Residence, known today as Beaverbrook House, which is still operated by UNBSJ. Eventually, after nearly forty years of remaining in Saint John, it relocated to the main campus in Fredericton. Starting in 1951, UNB offered summer extension courses in Saint John High School and St. Vincent's Convent, which proved to be successful. This highlighted the existing demand for higher education in Saint John, which had been recognized by the city's
Board of Trade The Board of Trade is a British government body concerned with commerce and industry, currently within the Department for Business and Trade. Its full title is The Lords of the Committee of the Privy Council appointed for the consideration of ...
as early as 1947. In 1959, there was a growing interest in establishing a college in Saint John, and a group called "Saint John College Development Incorporated" began advocating for a postsecondary institution in the city. However, the proposal faced skepticism due to UNB's financial challenges and the perceived surplus of degree-granting institutions in New Brunswick. During this discussion, the City of Saint John provided the site of a former 229-acre farm on Sandy Point Road. The location was deemed advantageous due to its views, services, and its position in a rapidly developing area of the city. In September 1964, Beaverbrook House reopened as a satellite campus of UNB, enrolling 100 students. Over time, UNB Saint John expanded its operations to various locations, including the Old Provincial Building, the New Brunswick Technology Institute, the Presbyterian Church Hall, the YMCA building, as well as various high schools. Faculty recruitment posed a challenge, with many commuting from Fredericton or hired from high schools. Simultaneously, plans for a new campus on the Tucker Park site progressed, with UNB's consulting architects, Larson and Larson, tasked with preparing a concept plan. The initial construction cost was $1,350,000, which was part of a $10 million fundraising campaign led by UNB. In the same year, G. Forbes Elliot took the role as UNB Saint John's first principal. In 1965, the City of Saint John transferred ownership of 87 acres of land for the new campus. Construction on the Tucker Park campus began in 1966, and the site officially opened in 1969, featuring Hazen Hall, Ganong Hall, and the Ward Chipman Library. The campus expanded over the next two decades, constructing the G. Forbes Elliot Athletics Centre in 1975, the Canada Games Stadium in 1985, and the Thomas J. Condon Student Centre in 1986. Despite these developments, UNBSJ was considered a commuter campus until 1993, following the construction of the Sir James Dunn Residence. Additional buildings were constructed over subsequent years, such as the K.C. Irving Hall, the Modern Languages Centre (now home to Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick), the Dr. Colin B. Mackay Residence, and the Hans W. Klohn Commons.


Architecture

Construction on the Hans W. Klohn Commons began on April 1, 2010, and the building officially opened on September 7, 2011. This building is one of the most environmentally friendly buildings in
Atlantic Canada Atlantic Canada, also called the Atlantic provinces (), is the list of regions of Canada, region of Eastern Canada comprising four provinces: New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. As of 2021, the landma ...
."A smarter, greener library"
. ''UNB Excellence''. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
The building features an electric elevator that produces power for the commons. The building is part of the Tucker Park enhancement project, which includes the refurbishment of the Canada Games Stadium, the Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick facility, and the New Brunswick Community College's Allied Health building. The Commons houses the library, Writing Centre, Math and Science Help Centre, an IT help desk, and the Commons Cafe. UNBSJ's third residence building, named the Barry and Flora Beckett Residence, opened in Winter 2021 and is a geothermally-heated building, offering 104 beds. The naming of the residence building honors the Becketts; two prominent figures in the campus' history. Dr. Barry Beckett was once a chemistry professor during UNB Saint John's earlier days as a campus in Uptown Saint John, while Flora Beckett taught mathematics and served as the director at the Math Help Centre. In light of the announcement regarding the Integrated Health Initiative (IHI), plans were made to reconstruct the Ward Chipman Library, which had been unused ever since being replaced by the Hans W. Klohn Commons, into a Health and Social Innovation Centre. Although it was initially planned to be renovated, the former library was demolished in 2023 to be replaced by the Health and Social Innovation Centre.


Research and academics

UNB is the seat of 14 Canada Research Chairs and is home to more than 60 research centres and institutes. It conducts about 75 per cent of all university research in the province. UNB's annual research spending (2013–14) generated $32.2 million in added provincial income for the New Brunswick economy. Between 2004 and 2009, the university's research revenue increased by 77 per cent: the highest increase among Canadian comprehensive universities. UNB has developed technology used by Google, is a research partner with the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is a global leader in powered prosthetic research and developing MRI technology, and is home to one of the motion analysis labs in North America as well as the world's first research centre in dermoskeletics.


Reputation

In 2021, UNB was awarded 5 stars from the ''
QS World University Rankings The ''QS World University Rankings'' is a portfolio of comparative college and university rankings compiled by Quacquarelli Symonds, a higher education analytics firm. Its first and earliest edition was published in collaboration with '' Times ...
'', the second university in Atlantic Canada to receive this rating. In ''
Maclean's ''Maclean's'' is a Canadian magazine founded in 1905 which reports on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, trends and current events. Its founder, publisher John Bayne Maclean, established the magazine to provide a uniquely Canadian ...
'' 2023 "comprehensive university" rankings, UNB ranked eighth out of 15 universities, tied with
Toronto Metropolitan University Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU, or Toronto Met), formerly Ryerson University, is a Public university, public research university located in Toronto, Canada. The university's core campus is situated within the Garden District, Toronto, Gar ...
. In 2014, UNB was awarded the most entrepreneurial university in Canada by Startup Canada. The university has also supported in launching 23 new startup companies as of 2015. In 2012, UNB's law school was ranked second nationally in elite firm hiring by ''Maclean's''. According to Canadian Lawyer Magazine, the law school ranks among the top five in Canada. In 2008, the ''
National Post The ''National Post'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet newspaper and the flagship publication of the American-owned Postmedia Network. It is published Mondays through Saturdays, with Monday released as a digital e-edition only.
'' and the ''
Ottawa Citizen The ''Ottawa Citizen'' is an English-language daily newspaper owned by Postmedia Network in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. History Established as the Bytown ''Packet'' in 1845 by William Harris (journalist), William Harris, it was renamed the ''Ci ...
'' recognized UNB as being among the top three comprehensive research universities in Canada for the highest percentage growth of research income across a five-year period.


Faculty of Engineering

The University of New Brunswick is noted particularly for engineering, and its Faculty of Engineering, which opened in the late 1800s, was the first to offer engineering degrees in Canada. Engineering is one of the three major UNB faculties, with five departments offering seven accredited engineering programmes in Civil Engineering,
Chemical Engineering Chemical engineering is an engineering field which deals with the study of the operation and design of chemical plants as well as methods of improving production. Chemical engineers develop economical commercial processes to convert raw materials ...
,
Electrical Engineering Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems that use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...
,
Geodesy Geodesy or geodetics is the science of measuring and representing the Figure of the Earth, geometry, Gravity of Earth, gravity, and Earth's rotation, spatial orientation of the Earth in Relative change, temporally varying Three-dimensional spac ...
&
Geomatics Engineering Geomatics is defined in the ISO/TC 211 series of standards as the "discipline concerned with the collection, distribution, storage, analysis, processing, presentation of geographic data or geographic information". Under another definition, it ...
, Geological Engineering (jointly offered with the Faculty of Science), Mechanical Engineering, and Software Engineering (jointly offered with the Faculty of
Computer Science Computer science is the study of computation, information, and automation. Computer science spans Theoretical computer science, theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, and information theory) to Applied science, ...
). The faculty had 920 full-time equivalent students as of Winter 2021. The Times Higher Education’s 2023 World University Rankings list by subject has placed UNB Engineering in the top 250 engineering programmes in the world. UNB Engineering is renowned for its multi-faceted programmes like Geodesy and Geomatics – one of the world's top-ranked departments and UNB's foremost research hub reputed as a leader in satellite positioning technology, high-accuracy
gravity field In physics, a gravitational field or gravitational acceleration field is a vector field used to explain the influences that a body extends into the space around itself. A gravitational field is used to explain gravitational phenomena, such as ...
determination, and 3D high-resolution
digital mapping Computer cartography (also called digital cartography) is the art, science, and technology of making and using maps with a computer. This technology represents a paradigm shift in how maps are produced, but is still fundamentally a subset of trad ...
systems. The Department's researchers helped
NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...
map the
Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It Orbit of the Moon, orbits around Earth at Lunar distance, an average distance of (; about 30 times Earth diameter, Earth's diameter). The Moon rotation, rotates, with a rotation period (lunar ...
, designed technologies used by Google and
USGS The United States Geological Survey (USGS), founded as the Geological Survey, is an government agency, agency of the United States Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of the Interior whose work spans the disciplines of biology, geograp ...
, developed satellite technology for precision mapping of
polar regions The polar regions, also called the frigid geographical zone, zones or polar zones, of Earth are Earth's polar ice caps, the regions of the planet that surround its geographical poles (the North Pole, North and South Poles), lying within the pol ...
and the Arctic Ocean, improved fundamental mathematics and physics methodology like spectral analysis, and helped nations solve strategic problems and safety issues across the globe.


Poets' Corner

Because so many of UNB's students, alumni, and professors have produced celebrated poetry, the city of Fredericton has earned the nickname "Poets' Corner." Two of Canada's four Confederation PoetsSir Charles G.D. Roberts and Bliss Carman – were educated at UNB, as was Francis Joseph Sherman, along with a number of notable 20th- and 21st-century Canadian writers. In 1947, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada unveiled a "Poet's Corner" monument in honour of Carman, Roberts, and Sherman."Poets' Corner"
. ''UNB Archives' 225th Anniversary Projects''. Retrieved March 3, 2012.

. ''Collections Canada''. Retrieved March 3, 2012.


Institute of Biomedical Engineering

The Institute of Biomedical Engineering (IBME) on the Fredericton campus is one of the research institutes in biomedical engineering in Canada. It was founded in 1965 as the Bio-Engineering Institute, making it one of the oldest research institutes to be solely dedicated to the field of biomedical engineering. The institute is also the region's prosthetic fitting centre where amputees are fitted with "intelligent" artificial limbs. The institute also carries out research in the field of myoelectric signal processing, biomedical instrumentation and human
motion analysis Motion analysis is used in computer vision, image processing, high-speed photography and machine vision that studies methods and applications in which two or more consecutive images from an image sequences, e.g., produced by a video camera or high-s ...
. The IBME also developed the UNB Test of Prosthetic Function which is used by researchers all over the world. Although the institute does not offer degrees in biomedical engineering, students at UNB usually enrol in one of the other faculties of engineering such as electrical or mechanical and pursue their research in biomedical engineering at the IBME.


Canadian Rivers Institute

The Canadian Rivers Institute was founded in 2000 and is a site of river sciences research. The mandate of the CRI is to conduct both multi-disciplinary basic and applied research focusing on rivers from their
headwaters The headwater of a river or stream is the geographical point of its beginning, specifically where surface runoff water begins to accumulate into a flowing channel of water. A river or stream into which one or many tributary rivers or streams flo ...
to their
estuaries An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environm ...
, to promote the conservation, protection and sustainable use of water, and to educate professionals, graduate students and the public on water sciences. Members of the CRI conduct research on regional, national and international issues related to rivers and their land-water linkages. With researchers from both UNB campuses, the CRI develops the aquatic science needed to understand, protect and sustain water resources. Since 2013, the CRI and its partners have been working with NB Power to research the potential environmental impacts of the future options being considered for the Mactaquac Generating Station. The Mactaquac Dam on the Saint John River will reach the end of its lifespan by 2030, and CRI has been evaluating key environmental challenges such as river health, fish passage and flow management. In 2015, CRI was given an additional $2.8 million from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) to conduct an aquatic ecosystem study on the Saint John River. In 2021,
Parks Canada Parks Canada ()Parks Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Parks Canada Agency (). is the agency of the Government of Canada which manages the country's 37 National Parks, three National Marine Co ...
announced their first research chair in aquatic restoration, carrying out
Atlantic salmon The Atlantic salmon (''Salmo salar'') is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Salmonidae. It is the third largest of the Salmonidae, behind Hucho taimen, Siberian taimen and Pacific Chinook salmon, growing up to a meter in length. Atlan ...
recovery research with researchers from the Canadian Rivers Institute.


Mi'kmaq-Wolastoqey Centre (MWC)

UNB created its BEd program for
First Nations First nations are indigenous settlers or bands. First Nations, first nations, or first peoples may also refer to: Indigenous groups *List of Indigenous peoples *First Nations in Canada, Indigenous peoples of Canada who are neither Inuit nor Mé ...
students in 1977 in an effort to help First Nations communities take control of their own schools. In 1981, the Mi'kmaq-Maliseet Institute (MMI), the former name of the MWC, opened its doors with an expanded mandate to train professionals and improve First Nations access to First Nations education. The Institute provided a variety of services, including research, curriculum development, language education, policy development, children's literacy, and more. In addition, the Institute funded the Mi'kmaq-Maliseet Resource Collection, which contains materials that are immensely valuable to knowledge of First Nations culture, history, and perspective in the region.


Canadian Research Institute for Social Policy

The Canadian Research Institute for Social Policy was founded in 1996 as the Atlantic Centre for Policy Research, supported by the Canadian Institute For Advanced Research. The name change took effect in January 2000. The institute was designated as a Statistics Canada Research Data Centre in 2002. The institute brings interdisciplinary researchers together to focus on issues pertaining to social policy on a national and international level, specifically issues relevant to children and youth development. Projects included the New Brunswick Schools Early Literacy Initiative; Mapping Literacy as a Determinant of Health; Raising and Leveling the Bar: A Collaborative Research Initiative on Children's Learning, Behavioural, and Health Outcomes; and the Confident Learners Initiative.


Medical Training Centre

The University of New Brunswick's Medical Training Centre is the first anglophone school of medicine in New Brunswick. It is a joint medical programme, offered with Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine.


Polytechnic controversy

In the fall of 2007, a report commissioned by the provincial government recommended that UNBSJ and the New Brunswick Community College be reformed and consolidated into a new
polytechnic A polytechnic is an educational institution that primarily focuses on vocational education, applied sciences, and career pathways. They are sometimes referred to as ''institutes of technology'', ''vocational institutes'', or ''universities of app ...
post-secondary institute. The proposal immediately came under heavy criticism and led to several organized protests. Under heavy fire from the public, the Graham government eventually announced that it would set aside the possibility of UNB Saint John losing its status as a university and would refer the report to a working group for further study. The government would go on to announce in January that UNBSJ would retain its liberal arts program and its association with UNB and the working group reported back to government in May, with its findings and government's response being made public in June.


The Strax affair

In March 1969, UNB was censured by the
Canadian Association of University Teachers The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT; , ACPPU) is a federation of independent associations and trade unions representing approximately 70,000 teachers, librarians, researchers, and other academic professionals and general staff a ...
(CAUT) because of its suspension of Norman Strax, a physics professor who had led protests in September 1968 against the introduction of
photo id Photo identification or photo ID is an identity document that includes a photograph of the holder, usually only their face. The most commonly accepted forms of photo ID are those issued by government authorities, such as driver's licenses, ident ...
cards. The censure was lifted after the university agreed to engage in arbitration with Strax. Among the "tumultuous events" of the 1968–69 academic year were the occupation by Strax's supporters of his office in Loring Bailey Hall and the prosecution and jailing of a student journalist over an article in the '' Brunswickan''.


Scholarships

UNB awards over five million dollars in scholarships each year. These include the Blake-Kirkpatrick, Beaverbrook, and President's scholarships. With $7.2 million available in undergraduate scholarships, one in two students entering UNB from high school received a scholarship as of 2015. UNB has a scholarship guarantee in which any admitted student with an average of 80% or higher will receive a guaranteed amount of five hundred dollars. As a member of the Loran Scholars university consortium, UNB offers a matching tuition waiver as part of a $100,000 undergraduate scholarship to recognize incoming students who demonstrate "exemplary character, service and leadership". Five Loran Scholars have studied at UNB over the years. Additionally, it is part of the Schulich Leader Scholarships program, awarding an $100,000
STEM Stem or STEM most commonly refers to: * Plant stem, a structural axis of a vascular plant * Stem group * Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics Stem or STEM can also refer to: Language and writing * Word stem, part of a word respon ...
scholarship to an incoming engineering student and an $80,000 scholarship to a science, technology, or mathematics student each year.


Student life

UNB has approximately 10,000 students from over 100 countries. The University has a total of 16 residences: 13 in the Fredericton campus, and three in the Saint John campus. Students have over 125 clubs and societies to choose from between both of these campuses. Students on both campuses have access to UNB's facilities, fitness classes and outdoor activities such as snowshoeing and kayaking. There are exchanges available in more than 35 countries around the world with over 89 university partners.


Athletics

The University of New Brunswick has two sports teams, one for each campus. UNB Fredericton's team is called the UNB Reds, and UNB Saint John's team is called the UNB Saint John Seawolves. The Reds varsity teams primarily participate in
Atlantic University Sport Atlantic University Sport (AUS; ) is a regional membership association for universities in Atlantic Canada which assists in co-ordinating competition between their university level athletic programs and providing contact information, schedules, re ...
(AUS) and
U Sports U Sports (stylized as U SPORTS) is the national sport governing body for universities in Canada, comprising the majority of degree-granting universities in the country and four regional conferences: Ontario University Athletics (OUA), Résea ...
. The Saint John Seawolves varsity teams primarily participate in the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) and the
Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association The Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA, ) is the national governing body for organized sports at the college level in Canada. National championships CCAA members currently compete for national championships in the following sports: ...
. There are teams for cross country, curling, basketball, hockey, soccer, swimming, track and field, and volleyball. Out of these sports, there are additional teams for the Saint John Seawolves for basketball, soccer, and volleyball. Men's and women's track & field and cross country were added as a varsity sport for 2010–2011; this is a joint Fredericton/Saint John Campus program. In the past, UNBF used different names for each individual sport's team; for instance, the men's swim team was the Beavers, and the hockey team was the Red Devils. The university club teams, which are supported financially by the Student Union as well as by individual members of the teams, do not use the Reds name and thus continue the tradition of using different nicknames for each sport.


Insignia and other representations


Coat of arms

The University of New Brunswick's official
coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...
was introduced in 1956 after being approved by the University of New Brunswick Senate. Previously, UNB's only insignia was the Great Seal, which the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly granted during the Act of the University of New Brunswick in 1859. In 1952, a subcommittee of the UNB Senate was tasked with considering designs and suggestions. The coat of arms features two gold
beaver Beavers (genus ''Castor'') are large, semiaquatic rodents of the Northern Hemisphere. There are two existing species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers are the second-large ...
s in front of a crimson background, on either side of the Book of Learning, which features the University's motto ''Sapere Aude''. The bottom part of the shield contains a ship in front of a gold background, adapted from the New Brunswick coat of arms. This recognizes UNB's status as a provincial university. The design was described by a proclamation from the College of Heralds as follows:


Songs

Traditional among a number of songs commonly played and sung at various times such as commencement,
convocation A convocation (from the Latin ''wikt:convocare, convocare'' meaning "to call/come together", a translation of the Ancient Greek, Greek wikt:ἐκκλησία, ἐκκλησία ''ekklēsia'') is a group of people formally assembled for a specia ...
, and athletic events are "Carmina Universitatis Novi Brunsvici", "Alma Mater" (1904), and "UNB Anthem", with words by A.G. Bailey and music by D.V. Start.


Notable academic milestones

UNB Saint John was the first university in Canada to offer an
e-business Electronic business (also known as online business or e-business) is any kind of business or commercial activity that includes sharing information across the internet. Commerce constitutes the exchange of products and services between businesses, ...
program with its bachelor of business administration in electronic commerce. The university has since been ranked by ''Canadian Business Magazine'' as first in e-business.


People


List of presidents

* Paul Mazerolle (2019–present) * Eddy Campbell (2009–2019) * John McLaughlin (2002–2009) * Elizabeth Parr-Johnston (1996–2002) * Robin L. Armstrong (1990–1996) * James Downey (1980–1990) * John M. Anderson (1973–1980) * Desmond Pacey (1972) * James Owen Dineen (1969–1972) * Colin Bridges Mackay (1953–1969) * Albert William Trueman (1948–1953) * Milton Fowler Gregg (1944–1947) * Norman Archibald Macrae MacKenzie (1940–1944) * Cecil Charles Jones (1906–1940) * Thomas Harrison (1885–1906) * William Brydone Jack (1861–1885) * Joseph R. Hea (1860–1861) * Edwin Jacob (1829–1860) * James Somerville (1811–1828)


Notable current and former faculty

* Xiaoyi Bao – Physicist, recognized for her contributions to the field of
fiber optics An optical fiber, or optical fibre, is a flexible glass or plastic fiber that can transmit light from one end to the other. Such fibers find wide usage in fiber-optic communications, where they permit transmission over longer distances and at ...
* Bill Bauer – Poet and short-story writer, critically acclaimed for his "strikingly inventive imagination" * Philip Bryden – Current deputy minister of justice and deputy solicitor general of
Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...
* E. Sandra Byers – academic psychologist and sexologist *
Silver Donald Cameron Silver Donald Cameron (June 21, 1937 – June 1, 2020) was a Canadian journalist, author, playwright, and university teacher whose writing focused on social justice, nature, and the environment. His 15 books of non-fiction dealt with everything ...
– Journalist, author, and playwright whose writing focused on social justice, nature, and the environment * Eddy Campbell – Mathematician and former University president (2009–2019) * Jacqui Cole – Head of the
Molecular Engineering Molecular engineering is an emerging field of study concerned with the design and testing of molecular properties, behavior and interactions in order to assemble better materials, systems, and processes for specific functions. This approach, in whi ...
group in the
Cavendish Laboratory The Cavendish Laboratory is the Department of Physics at the University of Cambridge, and is part of the School of Physical Sciences. The laboratory was opened in 1874 on the New Museums Site as a laboratory for experimental physics and is named ...
at the
University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...
* Ann Gorman Condon – Historian * Baron d'Avray – New Brunswick superintendent of education (1854–1858) *
George Eulas Foster Sir George Eulas Foster (September 3, 1847 – December 30, 1931) was a Canadian politician and academic. Foster was a Member of Parliament (MP) and a Senator in the Canadian Parliament for a total of 45 years, 5 months and 24 days. He en ...
– Seven-times minister in the Government of Canada, and longtime member and senator in the Parliament of Canada * Karen Kidd – Aquatic ecotoxicologist and member of the
International Joint Commission The International Joint Commission () is a bi-national organization established by the governments of the United States and Canada under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909. Its responsibilities were expanded with the signing of the Great L ...
*
Gérard La Forest Gérard Vincent La Forest (April 1, 1926 – June 12, 2025) was a Canadian judge who was a puisne justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. He served in that capacity from January 16, 1985 to September 30, 1997. He was later counsel at the law f ...
– Former
puisne justice Puisne judge and puisne justice () are terms for an ordinary judge or a judge of lesser rank of a particular court. The term comes from a combination of the two French words, (since, later) and (born) which have been combined as or ; meaning ...
of the
Supreme Court of Canada The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC; , ) is the highest court in the judicial system of Canada. It comprises nine justices, whose decisions are the ultimate application of Canadian law, and grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants eac ...
* David Lametti – Current
minister of justice and attorney general of Canada The minister of justice and attorney general of Canada () is a dual-role portfolio in the Cabinet of Canada, Canadian Cabinet. The officeholder in the role of Minister of Justice () serves as the minister of the Crown responsible for the Depar ...
* Nicole Letourneau – Child health scholar. Named to Canada's "Top 40 Under 40" people by the Globe and Mail (2008) * Salem Masry – Founder of Universal Systems/CARIS * Anne McLellan – Former
deputy prime minister of Canada The deputy prime minister of Canada ()When the position is held by a male, the French title is ''vice-premier ministre du Canada"'' is a minister of the Crown and a member of the Cabinet of Canada, Canadian Cabinet. The office is conferred at ...
* Brigadier Maurice Tugwell – Founder of the
Mackenzie Institute The Mackenzie Institute for the Study of Terrorism, Revolution and Propaganda is an independent and non-partisan think tank in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1984 and focuses on geopolitical security matters. The institute has been ...
think tank * Petr Vaníček – Geophysicist and geodesist. Instigator and president of the
Canadian Geophysical Union The Canadian Geophysical Union () (CGU) is a society dedicated to the study of Earth and its space environment, including the Sun and solar system. History The organization began in 1945 as an Associate Committee of the National Research Council ...
(1986–1988) * Pete Kelly – Former
NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
player, University of New Brunswick athletics director (1913–2004)


Notable alumni

As of 2023, the University of New Brunswick reports over 95,000 living alumni, with 41,715 in New Brunswick. File:Lord Beaverbrook 1947b.jpg,
Lord Beaverbrook William Maxwell Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook (25 May 1879 – 9 June 1964), was a Canadian-British newspaper publisher and backstage politician who was an influential figure in British media and politics of the first half of the 20th century ...
, Anglo-Canadian press baron & member of the British War Cabinet File:Oswald Smith Crocket.jpg, Oswald Smith Crocket, Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada File:Wade MacLauchlan in DC (cropped).jpg,
Wade MacLauchlan H. Wade MacLauchlan (born 10 December 1954), is a Canadian legal academic, university administrator, politician and community leader. He served as the fifth president of the University of Prince Edward Island from 1999 to 2011, becoming preside ...
, former Premier of Prince Edward Island File:Frank McKenna2.jpg,
Frank McKenna Francis Joseph McKenna (born January 19, 1948) is a Canadian businessman and former politician and diplomat. He is currently Chair of Brookfield Corporation and Deputy Chairman of the Toronto-Dominion Bank. He served as Canadian Ambassador ...
, former
Ambassador An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or so ...
&
Premier of New Brunswick The premier of New Brunswick ( (masculine) or (feminine)) is the first minister and head of government for the Canadian province of New Brunswick. The premier of a Canadian province is much like the prime minister of Canada. They are normally ...
File:Charles G. D. Roberts cph.3a43709.jpg, Sir Charles G.D. Roberts, author File:Anne Murray (2 to 3 crop).jpg,
Anne Murray Morna Anne Murray (born June 20, 1945) is a retired Canadian country, pop and adult contemporary music singer who has sold over 55 million album copies worldwide during her over 40-year career. Murray has won four Grammys including the Grammy ...
, four-time
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
winner File:Bliss Carman LCCN2001704009.jpg, Bliss Carman, Canada's poet laureate File:Sam Hinds 2006.jpg, Sam Hinds, Prime Minister of Guyana (1992-2015) File:William Francis Ganong pub. 1942.jpg, William Francis Ganong, Canadian
botanist Botany, also called plant science, is the branch of natural science and biology studying plants, especially Plant anatomy, their anatomy, Plant taxonomy, taxonomy, and Plant ecology, ecology. A botanist or plant scientist is a scientist who s ...
and historian


Media

The university presses, ''The Baron'' and '' The Brunswickan'', are members of
Canadian University Press Canadian University Press is a non-profit co-operative and newswire service owned by more than 50 student newspapers at post-secondary schools in Canada. Founded in 1938, CUP is the oldest student newswire service in the world and the oldest ...
. Publishing since 1867, ''The Brunswickan'' is the oldest official student publication in Canada."Who We Are"
. ''The Brunswickan''. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
UNB is also home to several notable magazines and journals, such as '' The Fiddlehead'' and '' Studies in Canadian Literature''.


Radio

* 107.3FM CFMH-FM ( Saint John) * 97.9FM CHSR-FM (
Fredericton Fredericton (; ) is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of New Brunswick. The city is situated in the west-central portion of the province along the Saint John River (Bay of Fundy), Saint John River, ...
)


Newspapers

* ''The Baron'' (Saint John campus) * '' The Brunswickan'' (Fredericton campus) * ''The Pillar'' (Engineering Newspaper) (Fredericton Campus)


Magazines and journals

* '' The Fiddlehead'' * '' Studies in Canadian Literature'' * '' Acadiensis''


See also

*
List of oldest universities in continuous operation This is a list of the oldest existing universities in continuous operation in the world. Inclusion in this list is determined by the date at which the educational institute first met the traditional definition of a university used by academi ...
* Higher education in New Brunswick * List of universities and colleges in New Brunswick *
List of historic places in New Brunswick A list is a set of discrete items of information collected and set forth in some format for utility, entertainment, or other purposes. A list may be memorialized in any number of ways, including existing only in the mind of the list-maker, bu ...
* Maritime College of Forest Technology *
Atlantic University Sport Atlantic University Sport (AUS; ) is a regional membership association for universities in Atlantic Canada which assists in co-ordinating competition between their university level athletic programs and providing contact information, schedules, re ...
*
Canadian government scientific research organizations Expenditures by federal and provincial organizations on scientific research and development accounted for about 10% of all such spending in Canada in 2006. These organizations are active in natural and social science research, engineering research, ...
* Canadian university scientific research organizations * Canadian industrial research and development organizations


Further reading

* Bailey, Alfred G., ed. ''The University of New Brunswick: Memorial Volume''. Fredericton: University of New Brunswick, 1950. * McGahan, Peter. ''The Quiet Campus: A History of the University of New Brunswick in Saint John, 1959–1969.'' Fredericton: New Ireland Press, 1998. * Montague, Susan. ''A Pictorial History of the University of New Brunswick''. Fredericton: University of New Brunswick, 1992.


References


External links

*
Athletics website

Arts Building, UNB, National Historic Site of CanadaWilliam Brydone Jack Observatory, UNB, National Historic Site of Canada
{{Authority control Educational institutions established in 1785 1785 establishments in New Brunswick Forestry education Buildings and structures in Fredericton Buildings and structures in Saint John, New Brunswick Education in Saint John, New Brunswick Education in Fredericton Distance education institutions based in Canada