University of Paris

The University of Paris is a university located in Paris, France and is one of the earliest established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1170 (or possibly as early as 1150). After many changes, including a century of suspension (1793–1896), it ceased to exist in 1970 and 13 autonomous universities (University of Paris I–XIII) were created from it. The university is often referred to as the Sorbonne or La Sorbonne after the collegiate institution (Collège de Sorbonne) founded about 1257 by Robert de Sorbon. In fact, the university as such was older and was never completely centered on the Sorbonne. Of the 13 current successor universities, the first 4 have a presence in the historical Sorbonne building, and three include "Sorbonne" in their names.
The universities in Paris are now essentially independent of each other, and some fall under the Académie of Créteil or the Académie of Versailles rather than the Académie of Paris. Some residual administrative functions of the 13 universities are formally supervised by a common chancellor, the Rector of the Académie of Paris, with offices in the Sorbonne. As of 2006, Maurice Quénet is the Rector of the Academy of Paris and Chancellor of the Universities of Paris. The Vice-Chancellor of the Universities of Paris is Pierre Gregory. Despite this link, and the historical ties, there is no University of Paris system that binds the universities at an academic level.

To classify professors' knowledge, the schools of Paris gradually divided into faculties. Professors of the same science were brought into closer contact until the community of rights and interests cemented the union and made them distinct groups. The faculty of medicine seems to have been the last to form. But the four faculties were already formally established by 1254, when the university described in a letter "theology, jurisprudence, medicine, and rational, natural, and moral philosophy". The masters of theology often set the example for the other faculties, e.g. they were the first to adopt an official seal.
The faculties of theology, canon law, and medicine, were called "superior faculties". The title of "Dean" as designating the head of a faculty, came into use by 1268 in the faculties of law and medicine, and by 1296 in the faculty of theology. It seems that at first the deans were the oldest masters. The faculty of arts continued to have four procurators of its four nations and its head was the rector. As the faculties became more fully organized, the division into four nations partially disappeared for theology, law and medicine, though it continued in arts. Eventually the superior faculties included only doctors, leaving the bachelors to the faculty of arts. At this period, therefore, the university had two principal degrees, the baccalaureate and the doctorate. It was not until much later that the licentiate and the DEA became intermediate degrees.

University of Cape Town

The roots of UCT lie in the establishment of the South African College, a boys' school, in 1829. In 1874 the tertiary education part split off into the University and the younger students into the South African College Schools.
UCT moved to the Groote Schuur Estate campus in 1928. During the apartheid era, roughly 1960-1990, UCT consistently opposed apartheid, and was a bastion of liberalism and racial integration. 1987 particularly saw frequent clashes between protesting students and police, with reporting of police presence on the campus being censored by the government. On 24 April 1987 the police entered the campus and this marked the first time since 1972 that South Africa's police services had suppressed a demonstration at a white university.
The UCT crest was designed in 1859 by Charles Davidson Bell, Surveyor-General of the Cape Colony at the time. Bell was an accomplished artist who also designed medals and the triangular Cape stamp.

The University of Cape Town is the highest ranked African university in the QS World University Rankings, the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and the Academic Ranking of World Universities. It achieved a rank of 161 in the 2010 QS World University Rankings and a rank of 107 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, making it the only African university in the top 200. Within this same ranking UCT was placed in the top 50 in the categories of life sciences and social sciences. UCT's MBA programme was globally ranked at 60 in 2011 by the Financial Times, and was ranked first in the "value for money" category. In addition to this, The University of Cape Town was placed as the second best business school in Africa and the Middle East in the 2010 QS Global 200 Business Schools Report. The University also achieved a rank of 141 - 145 in the Russian based Global Universities Ranking

University of Victoria

University of Victoria was established on 1 July 1963 in Victoria, British Columbia when an existing college of the University of British Columbia gained autonomy as a university. The non-denominational university had enjoyed 60 years of prior teaching tradition at the university level as Victoria College. This 60 years of history may be viewed conveniently in three distinct stages. Between the years 1903 and 1915, Victoria College was affiliated with McGill University, offering first- and second-year McGill courses in Arts and Science. Administered locally by the Victoria School Board, the College was an adjunct to Victoria High School and shared its facilities. Both institutions were under the direction of a single Principal: E.B. Paul, 1903–1908; and S.J. Willis, 1908-1915.
The opening in 1915 of the University of British Columbia, established by Act of Legislature in 1908, obliged the College to suspend operations in higher education in Victoria. University of British Columbia was created in 1908. A single, public provincial university, it was modeled on the American state university, with an emphasis on extension work and applied research. The governance was modeled on the provincial University of Toronto Act of 1906 which established a bicameral system of university government consisting of a senate (faculty), responsible for academic policy, and a board of governors (citizens) exercising exclusive control over financial policy and having formal authority in all other matters. The president, appointed by the board, was to provide a link between the two bodies and to perform institutional leadership.
In 1920, as a result of local demands, Victoria College began the second stage of its development, reborn in affiliation with the University of British Columbia. Though still administered by the Victoria School Board, the College was now completely separated from Victoria High School, moving in 1921 into the magnificent Dunsmuir mansion known as Craigdarroch Castle. Over the next two decades, under Principals E.B. Paul and P.H. Elliott, Victoria College built a reputation for thorough and scholarly instruction in first- and second-year Arts and Science. It was also during this period that future author Pierre Berton edited and served as principal cartoonist for the student newsletter, The Microscope.
The final stage, between the years 1945 and 1963, saw the transition from two year college to university, under Principals J.M. Ewing and W.H. Hickman.[4] During this period, the College was governed by the Victoria College Council, representative of the parent University of British Columbia, the Greater Victoria School Board, and the provincial Department of Education. Physical changes were many. In 1946 the College was forced by postwar enrollment to move from Craigdarroch to the Lansdowne campus of the Provincial Normal School (This is the current location of the Camosun College Lansdowne Campus). The Normal School, itself an institution with a long and honourable history, joined Victoria College in 1956 as its Faculty of Education. Late in this transitional period (through the co-operation of the Department of National Defence and the Hudson's Bay Company) the 284 acre (1,1 km²) now 385 acre (1.6 km²) campus at Gordon Head was acquired. Academic expansion was rapid after 1956, until in 1961 the College, still in affiliation with UBC awarded its first bachelor's degrees.
UVic sign at the northern campus entrance
In the early part of this century, professional education expanded beyond the traditional fields of theology, law and medicine. Graduate training based on the German-inspired American model of specialized course work and the completion of a research thesis was introduced.
The policy of university education initiated in the 1960s responded to population pressure and the belief that higher education was a key to social justice and economic productivity for individuals and for society.
The university gained its autonomy in 1963 as the University of Victoria. The University Act of 1963 vested administrative authority in a chancellor elected by the convocation of the university, a board of governors, and a president appointed by the board; academic authority was given to the senate which was representative both of the faculties and of the convocation.
University of Victoria`s Arms were registered with the Canadian Heraldic Authority on April 3, 2001. The historical traditions of the university are reflected in the coat of arms, its academic regalia and its house flag. The BA hood is of solid red, a colour that recalls the early affiliation with McGill. The BSc hood, of gold, and the BEd hood, of blue, show the colours of the University of British Columbia. Blue and gold have been retained as the official colours of the University of Victoria. The motto at the top of the Arms of the University, in Hebrew characters, is "Let there be Light"; the motto at the bottom, in Latin, is "A Multitude of the Wise is the Health of the World."

Royal Roads University

The university's main building, Hatley Castle, was completed in 1908 for coal and rail baron James Dunsmuir, who was Lieutenant Governor and Premier of British Columbia during the first decade of the 1900s. At the outbreak of World War II, plans were made for King George VI, his wife Queen Elizabeth, and their two daughters, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, to reside in Canada. Hatley Castle was purchased by the federal government in 1940 for use as the King's royal palace, however, it was decided that having the Royal Family leave the UK at a time of war would be too big a blow to morale, and the family stayed in London.
After the death of Dunsmuir and then his widow Laura, the family sold the estate to the federal government in 1940 to be used by the military. HMCS Royal Roads (named after an offshore naval anchorage) was commissioned in December 1940 to train reserve officers for service in World War II.
The institution had several names before it eventually became Royal Roads Military College in 1968 (achieving full degree-granting status in 1975). In 1995, the military college was closed and the land and facilities leased by the government of British Columbia then converted into Royal Roads University the same year. Royal Roads University maintains strong ties with the Canadian Forces.
Many of the academic staff stayed on when the university went public in 1995 and some still remain. Hatley Castle in the centre of the campus houses a small Canadian Military museum. Royal Road's graduate programs are targeted towards military personnel and other public servants. The alumni of Royal Roads Military College are considered alumni of Royal Roads University and are always invited by the university to participate in alumni events and the alumni network. Bob Skene, Royal Roads University Chancellor from 2003-2006 stated "As a national institution of higher learning, I believe we should be adopting and honouring our military legacy as an institution with 66 years of history"




Based on the 2008 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), Royal Roads University was ranked 1st for an active and collaborative learning experience, 2nd for level of academic challenge, 4th for senior year student satisfaction, 5th for supportive campus environment, 28th for student-faculty interaction, and 37th for enriching educational experience. See MacLean's and Royal Roads media release. In 2009, again Royal Roads ranked 1st for active and collaborative learning experience; and 3rd of level of academic challenge.[29]
In 2008 the Globe and Mail Canadian University Report gave Royal Roads grades in particular categories along with 55 other universities. The grades are based on the Globe and Mail student satisfaction survey. Royal Roads was one of the 14 universities in the under 4000 students assessment pool and received the following grades:[30]
A: Class sizes; and campus atmosphere.
A-: Student-Faculty interaction, Ease of course registration, Student services, Libraries; and Campus technology.
B+: Quality of Education, Quality of Teaching, Recreation/Athletics, Buildings and facilities; and Academic reputation.
B: Courses availability/variety.
C+: Career preparation.
C-: Extracurricular activities.
D: Food Service, Student Residence; and Campus Pubs/Bars.
B+: Overall Average of Student Satisfaction
In the 2009 Globe and Mail Canadian University Report Royal Roads received and overall average of A-.[31] For a detailed break down of grades see past footnote.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Kwantlen College was formed in 1981, by a separation of the South Fraser campus from Douglas College. There were more than 200 suggestions in a contest to name the new South Fraser region college. The winning entry “Kwantlen” was submitted by Stan McKinnon. “Kwantlen” comes from the name of the Kwantlen First Nation in whose traditional territory the university is located. Chief Joe Gabriel of the Kwantlen First Nation gave permission for the college to use the Kwantlen name.
Following a provincial government initiative designed to increase access to degree programs in British Columbia, begun in 1988, five community colleges were granted authority to offer baccalaureate degrees. These five institutions— Cariboo, Fraser Valley, Kwantlen, Malaspina, and Okanagan—were renamed university colleges. Initially, they offered degrees under the aegis of one or more of the three provincial universities. In 1995 they were awarded the authority to offer degrees in their own right. Also in 1995, the province of British Columbia enacted legislation changing the institution's name to Kwantlen University College.



Kwantlen is involved in three major building expansion projects. The first expansion is underway on Kwantlen's main Surrey campus, where constructing a new wing aims to increase the building size by 11,000 m², or by 42% of its current size.
The second project is the construction of a new campus in Cloverdale, a 17,200 m² building designed replace the aging Newton campus, and capable of holding over twice the amount of students. The first phase of this campus opened in January 2007.
The third project is an expansion of the Richmond campus library. The University received $1.215-million of federal and provincial funding to help take better advantage of 3,139 sq ft (291.6 m2) of unused space. The plan calls for an increase in study rooms, computers, and archives space. The project is expected to be completed in July of 2010

Capilano University

In 1964, the school boards of North and West Vancouver, Howe Sound and Sechelt formed a committee to determine the need for a community college to serve the North Shore. The proposal to build a college on the North Shore passed by a plebiscite in North and West Vancouver and the Howe Sound in 1967. However, the motion was defeated in Sechelt. The provincial government granted approval and Capilano College got its name selected from submissions made by North Shore residents. Capilano opened on September 10, 1968 with 784 students attending classes after hours at West Vancouver Secondary. The Capilano College Foundation was created in 1970 to provide scholarships and bursaries for students.
In 1970, construction began on the North Vancouver campus in the Lynnmour area. Three years later, the permanent North Vancouver campus opened with 1,965 students in attendance. The first vocational programs were offered in portable buildings brought from West Vancouver Secondary. The first permanent structure at the North Vancouver campus, the original library building, also opened. In 1976, the Arbutus building at the North Vancouver campus opened, and the Fir building at the North Vancouver campus opened in 1982. In 1991, the Cedar building, the Sportsplex, and Horticulture building were completed. Two years later, a new library replaced the former at the North Vancouver campus, tripling the size of existing library space. In 1996, The Birch building at the North Vancouver campus is completed, housing a performance theatre, classrooms, student services, and providing teaching space. The Child Care Centre also opened in the same year.
The Squamish campus began as liberal art classes that were offered in the fall in Squamish in 1973. The Learning Centre opened in 1974, housing an office, student services, and classes. In 1979, the permanent Squamish campus opened. In 1995, the official induction for the Capilano Squamish campus was held.
Development of the Sunshine Coast campus began in 1977, when the Sunshine Coast School District became part of Capilano’s region and the first college classes were offered in Sechelt. In 1980, the Sunshine Coast campus (then called the Sechelt campus) opened a permanent facility in 1987. The campus now offers training in how to fly jet airplanes and a program in advanced tightrope performance.



Students enrolled in credit programs at Capilano University are members of the Capilano Students' Union (CSU). The CSU is a registered society under the Society Act of BC, and receives funding from membership fees collected by the university on its behalf. While students ultimately control the CSU, most of its decisions are made by an elected board of directors (the executive committee), governed by the constitution and bylaws of the society. The executive committee consists of six constituency representatives, four issues coordinators, and the students elected to the senate and board of governors.
The CSU provides many services to its members, including a free dayplanner, and a used book sale. A referendum will likely be held in 2011, which will determine whether or not the CSU will also provide supplemental health and dental coverage.

University of British Columbia

A provincial university was first called into being by the British Columbia University Act of 1908, although its location was not yet specified. The governance was modelled on the provincial University of Toronto Act of 1906 which established a bicameral system of university government consisting of a senate (faculty), responsible for academic policy, and a board of governors (citizens) exercising exclusive control over financial policy and having formal authority in all other matters. The president, appointed by the board, was to provide a link between the two bodies and to perform institutional leadership. The Act constituted a twenty-one member senate with Francis Carter-Cotton of Vancouver as Chancellor.
Before the University Act, there had been several attempts at establishing a degree-granting university with assistance from the Universities of Toronto and McGill. Columbian College in New Westminster, through its affiliation with Victoria College of the University of Toronto, began to offer university-level credit at the turn-of-the-century, but it was McGill that would come to dominate higher education in the early 1900s.Henry Marshall Tory
Building on a successful affiliation between Vancouver and Victoria high schools with McGill University, Henry Marshall Tory helped to establish the McGill University College of British Columbia. From 1906 to 1915 McGill BC (as it was called) operated as a private institution providing the first few years toward a degree at McGill University or elsewhere. The Henry Marshall Tory Medal was established in 1941 by Henry Marshall Tory (1864–1947), FRSC, founding President of the University of Alberta and of the National Research Council of Canada, and a co-founder of Carlton University.
In the meantime, appeals were again made to the government to revive the earlier legislation for a provincial institution, leading to the University Endowment Act in 1907, and The University Act in 1908. In 1910 the Point Grey site was chosen, and the government appointed Dr. Frank Fairchild Wesbrook as President in 1913. A declining economy and the outbreak of war in August 1914 compelled the University to postpone plans for building at Point Grey, and instead the former McGill University College site at Fairview became home to the University until 1925. The first day of lectures was September 30, 1915, the new university absorbing McGill University College. University of British Columbia awarded its first degrees in 1916.



UBC consistently ranks as one of the top three Canadian universities by Research InfoSource[38] and ranks thirtieth in the world (second in Canada) in the 2010 Times Higher Education World University Rankings and thirty-sixth in the world (second in Canada) in the 2010 Academic Ranking of World Universities. In 2006, Newsweek magazine ranked the University of British Columbia second in Canada and 27th in the world. The QS World University Rankings (recently splitting from a joint world university rankings study with the Times Higher Education) ranked UBC as third in Canada and forty-fourth in the world in 2010. According to Maclean's University Rankings, UBC has the highest percentage of Ph. D level professors among all public universities in North America (92%). It has received widespread recognition by Maclean's and Newsweek magazines for its foreign language program; the Chinese program is North America's largest, and the Japanese program is North America's second largest (after the University of Hawaii). The Department of Economics as well as the Engineering Department are constantly ranked Top 20 in the World. The Department of Art History, Visual Arts and Theory has been recognized consistently for the world-class artists who teach there.[citation needed] In 2003 the National Post stated UBC had the highest entrance requirements for undergraduate admission out of all universities in Canada.

Cranfield University

The University was formed in 1946 as the College of Aeronautics on the former Royal Air Force base of RAF Cranfield which opened in 1937. (See also entries on Harold Roxbee Cox, Sir Stafford Cripps and Roy Fedden, all individuals associated with the foundation of the original College of Aeronautics). Between 1955 and 1969 a period of diversification took place. In 1967 the college presented the Privy Council with a petition for the grant of a Royal Charter along with a draft charter for a new institution to be called Cranfield Institute of Technology. The Cranfield Institute of Technology was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1969, giving the institution its own degree-awarding powers.The new School, 'Cranfield Health' interior
Since then the former National College of Agricultural Engineering established at Silsoe near Luton, Bedfordshire, in the 1960s, was incorporated. This was relocated to the Cranfield campus and closed for teaching in 2007. An academic partnership with the Royal Military College of Science (RMCS) at Shrivenham was formed in 1984. RMCS, whose roots can be traced back to 1772, is now a part of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom and now forms the Defence College of Management and Technology, known as 'DCMT' and from 2009 as "Cranfield Defence and Security". In 1993 a Royal Charter changed the institution's name to Cranfield University.
The first 50 year history of Cranfield University is described comprehensively, but concisely, by the book Field of Vision.
In 2003, the then RMCS site admitted its last undergraduates. In 2006, it was decided that activities on the Silsoe site would be relocated to the main campus at Cranfield. As a result, a substantial building program was undertaken on Cranfield campus, including the provision of departmental buildings and additional accommodation (Stringfellow and Chilver Halls), and Silsoe-based staff were transferred to Cranfield.

Charles Sturt University

The University was established on 1 July 1989 from the merger of several existing separately-administered Colleges of Advanced Education including the Mitchell College of Advanced Education in Bathurst, the Riverina-Murray Institute of Higher Education in Albury-Wodonga and the Riverina College of Advanced Education in Wagga Wagga, through the enactment of The Charles Sturt University Act, 1989 (Act No. 76, 1989). It is named in honour of explorer Charles Sturt.
The Mitchell College of Advanced Education had been formed on 1 January 1971, and the Riverina-Murray Institute in Wagga Wagga and Albury-Wodonga had operated since 1985. The latter institution had earlier succeeded the Riverina College of Advanced Education, which was itself the result of an even earlier merger between Wagga Agricultural College and Wagga Teachers College.
In 1998, CSU established the first Study Centre in Sydney and then in Melbourne in 2007. These study centres are operated by a private education group called Study Group Australia
On 1 January 2005, CSU formalised moves to assume control of the University of Sydney's Orange campus, which came into force on 1 January 2005. From that date, all new Orange campus students were eligible to qualify for degrees from CSU; continuing students continued to be awarded their degrees from Sydney.
On 10 July 2007, fire destroyed a chemistry laboratory at the University's Wagga Wagga campus
In 2008 CSU opened a new Veterinary Clinical Centre on Wagga Wagga Campus and 2011 sees the opening of a publicly available Dental and Oral Health Clinic.
On 14 February 2011 CSU changed its logo. The sturt desert pea flower is now stylised and made prominent, with the full name of the university as part of its logo.

Charles Sturt University offers a Distance Education program that allows students to choose courses at bachelor and post graduate level as well as the Single Subject Study program. The Distance Education program is designed for students who may be unable to attend the university campus in person, using printed or electronic media to facilitate communication between teachers and students.
Through Distance Education, students undertake courses supported by online forums, wikis, blogs, podcasts, access to library resources and assignment submission. Tutors are available for consultation and if a course is offered on campus, students can attend face-to-face tutorials and lectures. Students can be anywhere in the world while undertaking their study.
More than 21,000 students around the world study via CSU online supported courses, which supports flexibility around the design of their studies to their personal needs their studies to suit their, and around other commitments such as work, family and travel.
Distance education courses include professionally accredited degrees, as well as subjects that may be undertaken to follow an interest or passion.
CSU has the largest number of domestic students enrolled in its postgraduate courses in IT, according to the federal Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
For people who may not have studied formally for many years, some CSU subjects are open entry, which means there are no prerequisites for study. These subjects can provide an entry point for people who may be looking to engage in further formal study.

Australian Catholic University

Australian Catholic University (ACU) was opened on 1 January 1991 following the amalgamation of four Catholic tertiary institutions in eastern Australia - the Catholic College of Education Sydney in New South Wales, the Institute of Catholic Education in Victoria, McAuley College of Queensland, and Signadou College of Education in the Australian Capital Territory.
The institutions that merged to form the University had their origins in the mid-19th century, when religious orders and institutes became involved in preparing teachers for Catholic schools and, later, nurses for Catholic hospitals. Through a series of amalgamations, relocations, transfers of responsibilities and diocesan initiatives, more than 20 historical entities have contributed to the creation of the University.
The University operates as a company limited by guarantee, under the Companies (Victoria) Code and has a constitution which clearly identifies its objects in education, scholarship and research as part of the mission of the Catholic Church.
The University is a member of the publicly-funded national system of Australian universities, the Association of Commonwealth Universities and the International Federation of Catholic Universities. The University's Vice-Chancellor is a member of the Universities Australia and its Board of Directors.


Australian Catholic University achieved a number of coveted 'five-star' performance ratings in the 2010 edition of The Good Universities Guide.
The University performed particularly well in the area of indigenous participation, with four out of the six campuses receiving the highest ratings in their individual states for this category. Similarly, the University performed strongly in the areas of access and equity and proportion given credit for TAFE studies .
The most recent report by the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA), commended ACU for its highly supportive student environment, the outcomes it has achieved for Indigenous students and its positive engagement with the community .
In reviewing all aspects of the university’s work, the AUQA report acknowledged the distinctive character and mission of ACU as an open Catholic university accompanied by committed, loyal and dedicated staff. The University’s focus on graduate attributes, its library and learning support systems and its commitment to enhancing its existing planning, quality and management systems were all positively recognised in the report.