McGill is the Best Medical-Doctoral University (Maclean's)

According to the 2024 rankings by Maclean's Magazine, McGill University, the University of Toronto, and the University of British Columbia (UBC) once again hold the top three positions in the category of medical-doctoral universities in Canada.

McGill University has been ranked the best medical-doctoral university in Canada for the 19th consecutive year by Maclean's. The rankings are based on 12 performance indicators across five key areas: students, faculty, resources, student support, and reputation. This year, McGill excelled in eight of these indicators, making it the only university in the medical-doctoral category to place in the top ten across all categories. McGill’s sustained success reflects its ongoing commitment to high standards in teaching, research, and student experience. Its consistent ranking in these key areas solidifies McGill's position as a leader in Canadian higher education.

In addition to its strong showing in the overall university rankings, McGill also performed exceptionally well in Maclean's 9th annual program rankings, which assess the reputation and research strength of programs in the fields of science and social sciences. McGill's performance is especially notable as each of its top programs ranked in the top four. The business program placed third, engineering ranked fourth, computer science was fourth, nursing was fourth, and education also ranked fourth. These results demonstrate McGill’s broad academic excellence and strong reputation across a range of disciplines, reaffirming its status as one of Canada’s top institutions.

Dalhousie University maintained its position as the seventh-best medical-doctoral university in Canada in Maclean's rankings. Dalhousie shares this ranking with the University of Calgary. This year, Dalhousie showed impressive results, ranking in the top five in six performance indicators, twice as many as in the previous year. Dalhousie excelled in several areas, including its funding for scholarships and grants, ranking third in this category. The university also performed well in student-to-faculty ratio, the number of students receiving national awards, the number of faculty members winning major awards, and the operating budget per full-time student, where it ranked fourth. Additionally, Dalhousie placed fifth in terms of the percentage of its budget allocated to library services. These results reflect Dalhousie’s dedication to supporting student success, maintaining strong research performance, and fostering a high-quality academic environment.

In another category, Simon Fraser University (SFU) was named the top comprehensive university in Canada for the 15th time in the last 16 years. SFU reached this impressive milestone in Maclean's 2024 rankings. SFU achieved top marks in student services, library resources (including expenses and acquisitions), and operating budget. The university also ranked highly in student-to-faculty ratio, faculty awards, social sciences and humanities funding, medical/scientific funding, and its overall reputation. These accolades highlight SFU's strength in providing a well-rounded educational experience and its ability to foster academic excellence across diverse fields of study.

In the major undergraduate category, the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) ranked second among the top 20 universities in Canada, marking its 20th consecutive year in the top five for this category. Over the past 17 years, UNBC has been ranked in the top three in the undergraduate category 16 times, further establishing its position as one of the leading institutions for undergraduate education in Canada. UNBC’s continued success in this category underscores its commitment to providing a high-quality, accessible education to students across the country.

This year, UNBC’s nursing program was also recognized for the first time in Maclean's rankings of the best nursing schools in Canada. Based on surveys of faculty and senior university administrators, UNBC's nursing program ranked 16th in Canada, tied with the University of Saskatchewan for research reputation. This achievement highlights UNBC's growing strength in health sciences, particularly in nursing, which is an important area of focus for the university.

UNBC also received top marks in the category of students who received national awards. This category measures the number of students who have received scholarships and awards from professional organizations, as well as funding from federal agencies such as the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). UNBC placed first in this category, signaling its students' impressive accomplishments in academic and professional circles.

Additionally, UNBC scored highly in areas such as faculty excellence, research funding, student services, and overall reputation. These results indicate that UNBC is not only a leader in student awards and recognition but also an institution that provides strong support and resources for its faculty and students. The university’s overall performance in the rankings reflects its growing reputation as a leading institution in Canada, with a strong focus on research, teaching, and student success.