Yukon University is a public university in Whitehorse, Yukon, that grew out of a 1963 vocational training centre.
Yukon University traces its history to the founding in 1963 of the Whitehorse Vocational and Technical Training Centre, soon renamed the Yukon Vocation and Training Centre. College status was granted in spring 1983, when the institution became Yukon College. In 1989, the College Act was amended to establish an independent Board of Governors. In spring 2020, Yukon College was granted university status and all thirteen campuses were renamed Yukon University.
The main Whitehorse campus was officially opened with a potlatch in October 1988. It is named Ayamdigut, a Tlingit name meaning "she got up and went." The campus sits on the bluffs above Whitehorse, about 2km up the hill from its former downtown location. Facilities listed include parking and transportation, campus housing, a gymnasium, a campus store, a bistro, safety and security services, room and venue bookings, a daycare, a library, a family study room, and print and scan services.
Since 1995, Yukon College has offered a Bachelor of Social Work program in partnership with the University of Regina. The Northern Research Centre was established at the Ayamdigut Campus in the 1990s to support research "By the North—For the North—In the North" and was later renamed the Yukon Research Centre. Its programs today include investigations into issues of critical concern to northerners.
Yukon University's vision is to become a thriving learning and research community leading Canada's North. Its mission is to provide inclusive, quality education experiences that equip learners to seize opportunities, make change and positively impact local and global communities. Its first strategic plan as a university, BECOMING, covers 2022-2027 and was crafted from input of over 600 Yukoners. The university is located at 500 University Drive, PO Box 2799, Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 5K4.
Admission routes include Canadian and permanent resident applicants, international applicants, Open Studies, and high school dual credit.