
Spotlight on Simon Fraser University: Canada’s Top Comprehensive School
Simon Fraser University may have been named after an 18th-century fur trader, but the school is decidedly pointed toward the future with solid academic programming, an abundance of work-integrated learning opportunities and a deep commitment to sustainability that touches everything from campus facilities to the school’s program offerings and its vision for its future. For the 16th time in 17 years, the Vancouver-area institution has taken the No. 1 spot in our rankings among universities in the comprehensive category.
One of the factors that puts SFU on top: ample resources and support available to its 37,000 students across three campuses. Among them are a robust health and counselling service, with two medical clinics and on-staff doctors and nurses; a multifaith centre that fosters a diverse community and encourages students to practise their own beliefs while learning about other religions; and an Indigenous student centre that provides opportunities to engage with other Indigenous students and offers support from Elders.
Most of SFU’s programs are based at its main campus, perched atop Burnaby Mountain. While it’s largely a commuter school, students can live in one of six undergraduate residences, all with single rooms. (Graduate and family housing are also available.) Courses at the Vancouver campus are spread across nine sites and put students in close proximity to restaurants and nightlife. The Surrey campus, housed in a mall, is the school’s newest. It will also be the site of the university’s new medical school, set to launch in 2026—the first to open in Western Canada in 55 years.
When not in class or studying, students can get involved in one of more than 100 clubs offering something for everyone—whether it’s hiking, juggling, eating new foods, anime or knitting. The Burnaby campus’s recreational centre has dance classes, martial arts, Pilates, yoga and more. (The recreational facilities complex is undergoing major renovations to modernize the infrastructure and improve accessibility.)
But it’s not just fun and games at SFU: the school has a long tradition of getting students out into the workforce quickly. SFU’s co-op program has been pairing students with employers since 1975 and is available in almost all academic disciplines. The program has earned a widespread reputation in Canada and beyond that’s paying off big time for today’s Simon Fraser students; more than 9,200 of them are currently working for world-class employers like Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Tesla and Boeing.
In the spirit of continuous improvement, the school launched “What’s Next: The SFU Strategy” in 2023, a multi-year plan aimed at defining the next chapter of its history with four priorities: upholding truth and reconciliation, engaging in global challenges, making a difference for B.C. and transforming the student and faculty experience. A highlight from the first year of the initiative is a signed agreement with the Tsleil-Waututh (slilwta) Nation to include Tsleil-Waututh content, history and the h’nqm’inm’ language in SFU marketing materials, acknowledgments and curriculum, and to improve recruitment and retention of Tsleil-Waututh students and staff.
The school is also launching a new research centre in Tanzania, in partnership with the Aga Khan University in Pakistan, to address global issues such as health and climate change. It’s receiving funding from the government to create 500 more spots in tech-focused programs like computing science, software systems, agritech, social data analytics, data science, and business analytics and decision making. And it’s completing a new residence building on the Burnaby campus that features 369 student rooms as well as short-term accommodation for campus visitors.
Sustainability is a priority at SFU. The school has slashed carbon emissions by more than 50 per cent since 2007 and is on track to hit its target of an 85 per cent reduction by 2030. Its environmental philosophy translates into its program offerings: environmental science, sustainable energy engineering and urban worlds, which explores planetary pressures like population growth and climate change, are current favourites of environmentally minded Simon Fraser students.