The University of Saskatchewan has traditionally been seen as a hotbed of agricultural research, but there’s much more on the go here, including leading research in areas of global importance, such as water and food security. USask has made a name for itself as the home of the Canadian Light Source—Canada’s national synchrotron research facility, which can accelerate electrons close to the speed of light—and VIDO, one of the world’s leading developers of vaccines and therapeutic technologies. VIDO is on track to double Canada’s capacity to work with the highest-level risk group of pathogens, allowing for a rapid response to emerging infectious diseases.

The Health Sciences Building integrates eight fields of health sciences and is indicative of the interdisciplinary nature of study and research at USask. “Our students are welcomed into a problem-solving, entrepreneurial environment where their research, scholarly and artistic efforts have the power to affect real change,” says president Peter Stoicheff. The campus, known for its beauty, is built on 750 hectares along the South Saskatchewan River. The Gordon Oakes Red Bear Student Centre is an intercultural gathering place that helps integrate Indigenous culture on campus. In 2020, USask opened a campus in Prince Albert to serve Indigenous and northern communities.

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Incoming students can now access expanded mental health support, thanks to additional funding for counsellors, group therapy and peer-health programming.