The University of Waterloo is a Canadian research-intensive university in Waterloo, Ontario, known for co-operative education and innovation.
The University of Waterloo is located at 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1. The university describes itself as a leading global research-intensive university, renowned for entrepreneurship and innovation. Its motto is Concordia cum veritate, meaning 'In harmony with truth'. Its main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations.
In 1957, the University of Waterloo opened its doors to 74 engineering students, with co-operative education as its cornerstone. The university envisions a community of curious, collaborative, innovative and entrepreneurial problem-solvers and leaders who seek to understand and identify equitable and sustainable solutions for the future of humanity and our planet.
More than 41,000 students attend the university annually. The university provides co-op and work-integrated learning at scale and has more than 8,000 active co-op employers. Physics and Astronomy professor Donna Strickland earned a Nobel Prize in Physics for her breakthrough work on chirped pulse amplification in lasers.
The university is ranked #1 in Canada as a comprehensive research university by Research Infosource for the past 18 years. It is ranked #1 in Canada for most innovative university for 30 of the last 33 years by Maclean's University Rankings 2025. It is also ranked #1 in reputation among Canada's comprehensive universities by Maclean's University Rankings 2026.
Campus facilities listed by the university include a Library, Art Gallery, Earth Science Museum, Museum of Vision Science, Campus TechShop, Creative Studio, Microscopy (Electron and confocal), Theatre Centre, Campus Housing, Brubacher House, Athletics and Recreation, and UW Fitness Services.