About Simon Fraser University

Simon Fraser University (SFU) was established in 1965 and has grown to be acknowledged as a world leader in research, knowledge development, and sustainability. The university consistently ranks among Canada’s top research universities.  SFU strives to equip its students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences that will help them face life in a challenging world. Faculty and staff offer students the best educational experience possible, while fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community.

SFU operates out of three vibrant campuses located in the three largest cities in British Columbia—Burnaby, Surrey, and Vancouver. The Burnaby campus—the oldest of the campuses, established in 1965—is home to most of the university’s state-of-the-art academic and research infrastructure. The Vancouver campus, instituted in 1989, caters to the demands of working professionals. The Surrey campus was opened in 2002 and offers students cutting edge programs.

As one of Canada’s fastest growing research institutions, SFU is committed to mobilizing knowledge to drive innovations that impact its communities and society at large. SFU’s academic culture benefits from the depth of its research excellence and enduring partner networks. Faculty members contribute to research discoveries and create solutions that foster a more inclusive and sustainable economy around the world. SFU ranks in the top 15 universities in the world for journal citations per faculty, according to the QS World University Rankings 2024.

In addition to world-class academic programs, SFU offers students co-operative learning, which is professional experience that enriches their education and prepares them for the future. Co-op placements are available to all students interested in developing skills and earning additional income during their studies. The university also offers a selection of local and international field schools and exchanges, volunteer stewardship activities, and leadership training.

Graduate outcomes

In addition to its reputation as a research-orientated university, SFU is also highly career-focused, and its students are encouraged to develop a wide range of transferable employability skills over the duration of their studies.

SFU’s career and volunteer services provide undergraduate students with career guidance to help them develop their career aspirations and strategies before completing their degree. The department offers interview training and job seeking services, organizes networking events, and encourages students to make informed decisions about their future.

The university offers an impressive co-operative learning program, among the first in western Canada, with 9,266 students enrolled in Co-op education as of June 2024. This interdisciplinary effort empowers students to explore diverse career paths and gain valuable work experience with respected employers and organizations from across Canada and around the world. Participants benefit from the opportunity to earn income and fund their education while preparing themselves for post-graduation employment.

The top five industries that post job opportunities to hire SFU co-op students include information technology, engineering, science, government agency and healthcare. The top hiring countries of SFU co-op students are Canada, China, the USA, Vietnam and India.

SFU’s dedicated network of over 200,000 alumni in over 145 countries around the world maintains the university’s global presence and reputation for excellence, and current students may contact the network for advice, professional insights, and career connections.

What's new

Research and innovation are core values around which SFU’s academic reputation has evolved.

The university has recently been recognised for its continued investment in these values, being named Canada’s top university for innovation and 15^th globally, as well as second in Canada for industrial application according to the 2024 World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI) rankings.

Recent additions to the university include its School of Sustainable Engineering, completed in 2019 on the Surrey campus, which has since earned the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification. Students learn in laboratories and through teamwork-based courses, integrating studies such as engineering, entrepreneurship, and economics to meet global demand for sustainable engineering leadership.

Future plans include its newly announced School of Medicine, which will be purpose-built for graduate physicians trained in team-based, community-level, culturally safe health care with an emphasis on family medicine.

These results highlight the strength of SFU’s impact within Canada and on the world stage and indicate the progressive approach to education for which the university is globally known.

SFU ranks among the top 1.9 percent of all universities and number 11 in Canada in the Centre for World University Rankings 2024. The university also performed well in the 2024 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, placing within the top 251-300 universities in the world. Its education, computer science, psychology, archaeology, anthropology, and communication & media studies programs rank among the best in Canada and the top 150 in the world.

The Times Higher Education 2024 World University Rankings ranked SFU as second in Canada for International Outlook. SFU also placed first in Canada and third worldwide for both Climate Action and Sustainable Cities and Communities in the Times Higher Education 2024 University Impact Rankings.