As President Marie-Eve Sylvestre took the helm as the 31st leader to guide the University in its history, she set out a vision rooted in community, driven by knowledge and open to the world. Over the past year, that vision has taken shape through partnerships, discoveries and transformations unfolding across campus and far beyond it.
Driving innovation for the community
At uOttawa, discovery does not stop at publication. It moves into the world.
In Kanata North, Canada’s largest technology park, researchers are advancing connected and autonomous vehicle technologies in close collaboration with industry while strengthening ties with the local business ecosystem.
Innovation is also reaching communities directly. Through partnerships addressing mental health and primary care, research is translating into tangible social benefit.
The first-ever Innovation Sprint on Preventing Youth Homelessness further strengthened the relationship between campus and community, as students collaborated with housing advocates and health workers on solutions to one of Ottawa’s most pressing social challenges.
Dozens of faculty members, alumni and staff were also among the 30,000 Canadians honoured by King Charles III for shaping lives, policies and communities.
A research powerhouse reshaping society
uOttawa's research is the engine driving us all.
In 2025, uOttawa reinforced its position as one of Canada’s five most research-intensive universities, advancing discovery across health, climate science, artificial intelligence, sustainability, equity, quantum physics and public policy.
One of the year’s defining milestones was the launch of the uOttawa Arctic Research Hub, a national platform addressing climate change, sovereignty, Indigenous knowledge and Arctic governance.
Major investments further strengthened this momentum. Ontario’s $5-million investment to build web labs in the Advanced Medical Research Centre will accelerate the development of life-saving technologies and enhance Canada’s biomanufacturing capacity.
Across disciplines, uOttawa researchers delivered breakthroughs with real-world implications — from using artificial intelligence to uncover hidden microbes to exploring how fungi could help build a greener future to using VR to transform how teachers learn to teach math.
That excellence continues to be recognized. In 2025, nine new Canada Research Chairs were awarded to uOttawa scholars; a record twelve researchers were inducted into the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) and its College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists; thirteen were named among the world’s most influential.
This is research not confined to labs — it moves society forward.
From Ottawa to the world: influence without borders
Fueled by record research intensity and a growing concentration of talent, uOttawa spent the year extending its influence well beyond national borders.
The University deepened its academic partnerships in China, expanding collaboration in teaching and research with long-term strategic intent.
At the same time, the creation of the France-Canadian Campus in partnership with France Universités positioned uOttawa as a central gateway for scientific and academic collaboration between Canada and Europe.
uOttawa’s global footprint also expanded to the Middle East and Africa. The Telfer School of Management partnered with ESCA École de Management to deliver its Executive MBA in Casablanca and bring Canadian academic excellence to a new generation of global leaders, while new partnerships and programs connected uOttawa faculty and students to their counterparts in medicine, education, and climate action.
Closer to home but global in scope, uOttawa hosted the U7+ Presidential Summit, which brought together leading universities to address artificial intelligence, democracy and global governance.
A campus that lives, creates and transforms
While uOttawa’s influence stretches globally, its campus remains a vital civic and cultural space at the heart of a G7 capital.
This year marked a major step toward a transformational student housing project, addressing affordability and student well-being.
The emergence of the Arts District reinforced the University’s role as a cultural anchor in the downtown core, while new programs and tools helped make our campus more welcoming and inclusive. At the same time, Indigenous presence and visibility on campus continued to grow.
Our campus experience mirrors our academic life – deeply rooted in local culture and open to the world.
Knowledge that belongs to everyone
One of the year’s most distinctive accomplishments was the way uOttawa made knowledge accessible far beyond academia.
Faculty members played a key role in translating landmark Supreme Court of Canada decisions. Legal scholarship also reached new audiences through an innovative video game inspired by Supreme Court rulings. These initiatives align with uOttawa’s broader commitment to open science. Students also played a role in expanding accessibility through technology.
Honouring our role in Reconciliation
In 2025, we continued to honour our commitment to meaningful reconciliation with Indigenous students, staff and faculty, and the Indigenous community in the National Capital Region.
Concrete measures — including tuition waivers for Algonquin Anishinàbeg Nation students, the creation of a research chair focused on Indigenous self-determination, and a new Indigenous Lands Consultation Hub underscored commitments grounded in action.
We recommitted to our Indigenous Action Plan to include Indigenous voices, knowledge, and perspective in our future development and made progress across all four of its hoops. We took steps to weave Indigenous leadership principles into our management training and celebrated the trailblazing alumni of the Faculty of Medicine’s Indigenous Program on its 20th anniversary.
Committed to a strong and vibrant Francophonie
Research from ILOB confirmed what we see every day – that bilingualism opens our minds to different cultures – on campus, and around the world.
In 2025, uOttawa continued to act on its responsibilities as a bilingual, Francophone university. We marked the 50th anniversary of the Franco-Ontarian flag with a new podcast, Parlez-moi de l’Ontario français, to give voice to those shaping today’s francophonie. We also launched the selection process for a new Vice-President, Francophonie and External Affairs, whose role will be to further strengthen uOttawa’s relationships with Francophone communities locally and across Canada, and to develop new partnerships that will enrich our teaching and research.
Our consultation on la francophonie, to be held in February, will assess the progress we've made across our curriculum, campus, and community relations – and reaffirm our leadership role in promoting our linguistic heritage.
Our values make us unique – our actions bring them to life.
Accelerating into 2026
The year is coming to a close, but uOttawa is not slowing down.
In 2025, we showed what becomes possible when research, education, community engagement and global partnership move forward together.
And we highlighted our ability to build bridges – to be the meeting point for diverse expertise, voices, and imaginations that when combined, enable us to act on today’s challenges.
Energized by the passion of its first-ever female president, uOttawa is accelerating into the future with conviction, clarity and courage.