NU strengthens binational presence with additional location in Vaughan, Ontario

Niagara University has strengthened its binational presence with the establishment of an additional location for its Niagara University in Ontario program in Vaughan. The site is also the first-ever university to be established in the City of Vaughan and York Region, and supports Niagara University’s commitment to becoming the premier binational university within the Province of Ontario.

For 35 years, NU has offered programs in Canada, which operate under the written consent of the minister of training, colleges and universities. The opening of an additional location in the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre will give NU students and alumni a place to call their college home, and provide opportunities to better serve them with the culture, resources and supports necessary for success in Niagara’s mission-based academic programs.

The site will be in the heart of Vaughan’s emerging downtown core, located in the Vaughan Metropolitan Center. The more than 12,000-square-foot addition will include seven classrooms, faculty and administration offices, and student lounge areas. There are nine full-time faculty and administrators as well as a number of part-time faculty and supervisors on staff at that location, where more than 300 students are pursuing Bachelor of Professional Studies and Master of Science in Educational Leadership programs. In addition, approximately 50 practicing teachers take additional qualification coursework each year.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Niagara University to continue to strengthen our binational relationship to build and sustain our cross-border community,” said the Rev. James J. Maher, C.M, NU president. “As the largest university in the region in terms of enrollment, and one of the largest employers in Niagara County, this collaboration with the City of Vaughan will enable us to look beyond Western New York to make a deliberate and focused economic impact on this binational region, positively impacting the lives of others.”

“It has long been my dream to attract a university to Vaughan,” Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua said. “Having a post-secondary institution in an urban setting, within walking distance from homes, businesses and amenities, connected by regionally integrated transit, will contribute to both the economy and the quality of life for residents of the City of Vaughan. Niagara University in Ontario is an unprecedented investment in our community and in the Vaughan Metropolitan Center.”

Classes started in Vaughan on Jan. 21 for Niagara University in Ontario’s Bachelor of Professional Studies in Education program, which is accredited by the Ontario College of Teachers, and the Master of Science in Education program. Both prepare aspiring professionals for careers in primary-junior and intermediate-senior teacher positions, among other education-related employment opportunities.

Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua presents Niagara University President Rev. James J. Maher with the key to the city on Feb. 15, alongside the Vaughan City Council.