Looking back
³ÉÈË´óƬ 2025 highlights
December 16, 2025
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It was another exciting year for the campus community, marked by new milestones and notable achievements from faculty, staff, students, and alumni.
This year brought major moments across ²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s, from renewed campus spaces and student driven fundraising to important research milestones, athletics success, and leadership appointments. The following highlights look back at some of 2025’s most notable developments and their impact on campus and beyond.
For research focused highlights from the year, explore ²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s Year in Research.
Revitalized John Deutsch University Centre reopens
The revitalized JDUC reopened in Spring 2025.
²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s reopened the John Deutsch University Centre (JDUC) after a year of construction, restoring it as a central hub of student life at the heart of campus. The completed project delivered modern, accessible spaces that support connection, wellness, and belonging, and introduced new Indigenous gathering spaces that advanced commitments to Truth and Reconciliation.
Tenth anniversary of a Nobel Prize-winning discovery
Art McDonald speaking during the Nobel Prize 10th anniversary event.
²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s celebrated the 10th anniversary of a Nobel Prize-winning discovery led by Arthur B. McDonald that changed how scientists understand the universe. The breakthrough opened new paths in astroparticle physics and continues to inspire new lines of inquiry. Its legacy continues through the McDonald Institute, which secured $45.5 million in federal funding to strengthen Canada’s leadership in the field.
Advancing supercomputing excellence at ²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s
Computing infrastructure at the Centre for Advanced Computing.
²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s took major steps to strengthen its leadership in advanced computing in 2025. The university signed a memorandum of understanding with Bell to develop next generation, sovereign supercomputing infrastructure for Canada and welcomed global supercomputing expert Ian Karlin from NVIDIA to expand research capacity. ²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s supercomputing expertise also featured in its micro summit series, with Ryan Grant speaking on digital security.
²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s students set new cancer fundraising milestones
³ÉÈË´óƬ students holding the donation cheque for the Canadian Cancer Society during the 2025 ³ÉÈË´óƬ Relay For Life. (Supplied photo)
²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s students broke records with the 19th annual Relay for Life, raising more than $225,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society, the highest in campus history, and the highest total ever for a post-secondary relay. The student-led Cure Cancer Classic also reached a major milestone, raising $118,000 through its annual hockey tournament and other activities, surpassing $2 million raised overall for cancer research.
Strong performance in global and national rankings
The THE Impact Rankings focus on how institutions are advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, a global framework aimed at ending poverty, protecting the planet, and promoting peace and prosperity for all.
²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s earned standout results across major rankings this year. The university ranked sixth globally and first in Canada in the 2025 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, and moved into the top 200 in the 2025 QS World University Rankings. ²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s also placed seventh in the ²Ñ²¹³¦±ô±ð²¹²Ô’s 2026 Canadian university rankings, reflecting continued strength in research, reputation, and student experience.
Athletics excellence across campus
The ³ÉÈË´óƬ Women's Rugby Team after winning the OUA championship.
²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s athletics saw success across multiple teams, with the Gaels making strong runs through the OUA playoffs in several sports. Football capped the season by , the program’s first championship in 16 years. The year also brought professional sport to campus when the Ottawa REDBLACKS held their pre-season training camp at Richardson Stadium, highlighting the university’s high-performance environment.
Welcoming new leaders to campus
Grant Hall.
²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s announced several key leadership appointments this year, including Dr. Lisa Tannock as Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr. Wim A. Van der Stede as Dean of the Smith School of Business, Dr. Amy Burns as Dean of the Faculty of Education, and Kate Wilson as Vice-Principal (Advancement).
