University of Ottawa

The University of Ottawa in OTTAWA, Ont, began as the College of Bytown, founded by the OBLATE fathers in 1848. It was renamed the College of Ottawa in 1861. Its status as the largest bilingual university in North America is one of its key strengths. In keeping with its mandate to promote bilingualism and biculturalism in a multicultural environment, the University of Ottawa offers a mix of teaching and research programs in both of Canada's official languages.

In 1866, university status was granted by Parliament, making the University of Ottawa the last university to receive its charter prior to the British North America Act, which made education a provincial responsibility. In 1965, the University of Ottawa became a publicly funded nondenominational institution, a time in which it experienced rapid growth. The university is federated with St Paul University, which offers degree programs in theology, philosophy and canon law.

The university offers courses through the faculties of administration, arts, education, engineering, health sciences, medicine, law (both common and civil), science and social sciences. There is also a School of Graduate Studies, a Human Rights Research and Education Centre and the Institute for International Development and Co-operation. The University of Ottawa Heart Institute at Ottawa Civic Hospital is a leading cardiology centre and, in 1986, performed Canada's first artificial heart operation. The University of Ottawa is heavily involved with business and government, in research, consulting and co-operative education programs and receives approximately $91 million in research funding each year. The University of Ottawa has approximately 25 000 students and 1500 faculty members.

Author B. BEATON

Links to Other Sites
University Affairs
The University Affairs magazine takes you inside Canada's universities with the latest news, people on the move, book reviews, provocative opinion, research highlights and in-depth articles on a wide range of topics of interest to faculty, administrators and graduate students.

University of Ottawa
The official website of the University of Ottawa.

Historica-Dominion Institute
The website for the Historica-Dominion Institute, parent organization of The Canadian Encyclopedia and the Encyclopedia of Music in Canada. Check out their extensive online feature about the War of 1812, the "Heritage Minutes" video collection, and many other interactive resources concerning Canadian history, culture, and heritage.

Academic Matters
The website for Academic Matters, a magazine that explores issues of relevance to higher education in Ontario, other provinces in Canada, and globally. Focuses on current trends in post-secondary education and academe’s future direction.

R. Samuel McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment
The website for the R. Samuel McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment, a national centre of excellence in population health risk studies at the University of Ottawa.

Opera's Classroom
An informative article about the age-old challenges facing young opera singers in training. From “Tabaret,” the magazine for the University of Ottawa.

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