For the seventh year running, the University of Guelph ranks second among Canadian comprehensive universities in an annual national survey of top research institutions.
U of G claimed second spot out of 50 comprehensive universities – those with a full range of graduate programs and professional schools without a medical school – in the 2021 Research Infosource Inc. ranking of Canada’s Top 50 Research Universities.
The University ranked 18th overall among the institutions surveyed.
“I’m delighted that the University of Guelph once again ranks among the top research universities in Canada,” said Dr. Malcolm Campbell, vice-president (research). “These results reflect the excellence of our researchers and the confidence of our research partners in U of G’s ability to advance discoveries and innovations that make a difference in lives worldwide.”
Campbell added that U of G researchers have played a prominent role in research and scholarship to help combat the coronavirus and its impacts, including many projects supported by the University’s dedicated COVID-19 Research Development and Catalyst Fund and the Creating in a Time of Coronavirus Fund.
Pandemic-related research at the University of Guelph has focused on numerous topics, including sanitization of personal protective equipment, impacts on people with disabilities, preparing children for vaccination, technology for monitoring physical distancing in crowds and pets’ risk of contracting the disease.
“U of G researchers have met challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic head-on, demonstrating agility and resourcefulness to devise and deliver innovative solutions,” said Campbell.
U of G research income, research intensity rank highly
The Infosource rankings are based on various measures, including total sponsored research income, the number of publications in leading journals and research impact.
U of G ranked first in the amount of research income it attracts from the private sector as a percentage of total research income (15.2 per cent), and third in the amount of research income overall, worth more than $164 million a year.
The University also ranked first in research intensity per faculty member ($196,600).
Sponsored research income consists of all funds supporting research, including grants, contributions and contracts.
U of G ranked second in not-for-profit research income growth, with a 76.2-per-cent increase from 2020 to 2021.
Research funding supports U of G faculty, technical staff and graduate students across seven colleges and 15 research stations. The University’s numerous research strengths span agriculture, food and the bio-economy, veterinary sciences, environmental science, human health, humanities and social sciences.
A division of The Impact Group, Research Infosource is an independent national consulting firm that tracks research activities of Canadian companies, universities and governments.