Education

Overview

Niagara’s strong post-secondary and research network isn’t just educating tomorrow’s workforce. They are also a driving force of the incredible synergy that exists here between educators, researchers, students and business partners – a synergy that is creating technology-focused ventures, commercializing new products and services and developing the skills of the workforce to ensure employers can keep pace with evolving market conditions.

Brock University in St. Catharines has a student population of over 18,000 and is recognized as one of Canada’s top five institutions for co-operative education. Brock’s transdisciplinary approach to research brings together different disciplines to tackle pressing issues through research hubs focused on biomanufacturing; health and well-being; the environment; development across the lifespan; and social justice.

Niagara College has a student population of 9,000 full-time and 15,000 continuing education students. Programs are divided between two campuses in Welland and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Niagara College’s Research and Innovation division brings students, graduates, faculty researchers and industry partners together to create real-world solutions for business, industry and the community. Applied research and knowledge transfer activities include prototype, product and process development and technology testing for small and medium-sized businesses.

While McMaster University is based in Hamilton, it has created strong linkages within Niagara. McMaster’s Niagara Regional Medical Campus is located at Brock University’s Cairns Family Health and Bioscience Research Complex, and practical hospital experience occurs at hospital sites within Niagara. McMaster’s research in engineering, machining, polymer processing, robotics, automation, metal forming, thermal processing, micromanufacturing and CAD/CAM is helping to advance Niagara’s manufacturing sector.

With 20 on-site PhDs, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre is driving ground-breaking agricultural and horticultural research that is changing the way things are grown in Niagara and across the globe.