University of Northern British Columbia

Located in the spectacular landscape of northern British Columbia, UNBC is one of Canada’s best small universities. We have a passion for teaching, discovery, people, the environment, and the north. UNBC provides outstanding undergraduate and graduate learning opportunities that explore cultures, health, economies, and the environment. As one of BC’s research-intensive universities, we bring the excitement of new knowledge to all of our students, and the outcomes of our teaching and research to the world. In addition to fostering and celebrating academic excellence, UNBC is a welcoming place, with a learning environment that is friendly, inclusive, and supportive. UNBC is a university both in and for the north, and this mission has instilled a strong sense of ownership, purpose, and adventure among our students, alumni, faculty, staff, and the communities we serve. We are also Canada’s Green University™ , leading the way to a more sustainable future for all.

UNBC is a leader and a place of excellence. It is home to an environment that fosters creativity, scholarship, teamwork, innovation, and leadership. While we operate in a small and personal environment, our academic and professional programming is comprehensive. UNBC is consistently lauded by notable publications such as Maclean’s (currently ranked as the #1 small university in Canada) and the Globe and Mail (voted best in Canada by students for environmental commitment). We are one of just six research-intensive universities in British Columbia, with our faculty and students undertaking groundbreaking research across a broad scope of fields.

Our graduates, now numbering more than 11,000 strong, are generally more satisfied and have higher employment rates than graduates of other BC Universities. Beyond this, however, they are helping UNBC live up to our mission of being in the North for the North; UNBC now produces more graduates annually for the North than all other BC universities combined. Our graduates are not only earning a degree or a certificate; they are becoming the leaders who will bring stability and prosperity to northern communities for decades to come.

There is a vibrant sense of community and belonging on our campuses. Our main campus in Prince George is nestled in the forest, in a region that boasts trails, lakes, and rivers, with the foothills of the Rockies visible in the distance, while our regional campuses in Quesnel, Fort St. John and Terrace bring UNBC’s programming to smaller communities throughout the North.

UNBC’s motto, from the Dakelh (Carrier) Elders, is used to remind us that all people have a voice and a viewpoint. Directly translated as "he/she also lives," and interpreted as "respecting all forms of life," ‘En Cha Hunà encapsulates the spirit of academic freedom, respect for others, and willingness to recognize different perspectives.

A destination University, personal in character, that transforms lives and communities in the North and around the world. Our founders established a University “in the North - for the North.” They envisioned and built an institution where all are welcomed, learn, live, work closely with our faculty and staff, and transform the quality of life in Northern British Columbia, the province, and beyond. Mission is To prepare leaders for tomorrow by influencing the world today. UNBC strives to provide a safe and challenging learning environment where students gain leadership skills and stretch their boundaries, not only through academic discussion and debate but also through opportunities to work closely with faculty and staff on research projects and a wide range of initiatives that improve student life or contribute to a need in the community, the region or far beyond.

In our workplaces, relationships and communications, we are committed to positive and productive work and learning environments. Our values inform our lives, our decisions, and our choices. At UNBC we value:

Experiential learning, exploration and discovery: Our community celebrates and strives to provide an unparalleled learning experience which ensures that our students are prepared to meet the challenges of a fast-paced modern world, while stepping up and making a difference. UNBC is a champion of intellectual freedom, academic inquiry, learning for its own sake, access to information, learning through applied and best practices in experiential initiatives and the development and mobilization of new knowledge.

Inclusiveness and diversity: Social and cultural diversity is core to enriching the learning environment of a modern university. The confluence of diversity and respectful discussion stimulates creative thoughts, new ways of thinking, and new pathways of inquiry. This ensures that our research questions address society as a whole, and enables us to train leaders who understand our local and global communities.

Community: UNBC is a place where community thrives and where we strive to understand and care for other members of our University. It is a place all are welcome and where we commit to being respectful, innovative, resourceful, and responsive in our interactions with other.

Integrity: To succeed we must be true to who we are, and focus on where we are now and what we want to be in the future. We are honest, supportive, and forthright in all our interactions, confronting problems and issues openly and constructively.