University of Northern British Columbia

The University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) is a public university located in Prince George, British Columbia, with additional campuses in Prince Rupert, Terrace, Quesnel, and Fort St. John. Serving the northern region of the province, UNBC is a member of the University of the Arctic, reflecting its focus on northern and Arctic education. Established in 1990 through the University of Northern British Columbia Act, UNBC officially opened its main campus in 1994, inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth II. The university had 4,253 students enrolled in the 2020–21 academic year. UNBC is consistently ranked among Canada’s top small universities and was named the number one university in the Primarily Undergraduate category by Maclean’s in 2022. It also held first place in 2015 and 2016 and ranked second in 2023. The university trademarked the title "Canada's Green University" in 2007 due to its environmental focus.A notable initiative is the Northern Medical Program, developed in partnership with the University of British Columbia, which has contributed to building a local academic medical community. UNBC operates under a bicameral governance model with a Senate responsible for academic matters and a Board of Governors overseeing financial and broader institutional policy. The university actively participates in UArctic’s north2north mobility program, supporting student exchanges across northern institutions globally.