Urban impact with global reach
With the world’s population increasingly concentrated in cities, Toronto Metropolitan University's distinctly urban character and commitment to city building place it in a unique position to make an impact both in Toronto and across the globe. The university's educational identity and research vision are defined by the intention to serve societal needs with creative solutions to complex problems.
From its leading experiential learning programs to its groundbreaking entrepreneurial ecosystem, innovation is the driving force behind the university’s mission to create healthy cities and foster positive social change. The university is composed of eight dynamic faculties and home to 38,500 students, 4,400 faculty and staff and over 120 undergraduate and graduate programs, making it one of the largest comprehensive universities in Canada. The university will also be opening a School of Medicine in nearby Brampton in 2025.
Innovation and entrepreneurship
Toronto Metropolitan University has nurtured a culture of entrepreneurship that has helped it develop one of the largest experiential learning programs in the world. The Zone Learning network is a series of 10 on-campus incubators where students can apply their degree coursework toward the development of products, companies and social ventures. These zones span various disciplines and enable students to gain real-world skills and industry mentorship before they graduate.
Of the university's zones, the most noteworthy is the DMZ, an accelerator for tech startups that has been ranked the top university-based incubator in the world. Since being founded in 2010, the DMZ has incubated and accelerated 837 businesses, raised $2.69 billion (CAD) in funding, and fostered 5,171 jobs.
More recently, the university has taken its entrepreneurial ecosystem beyond Toronto, opening accelerator programs in Calgary, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Ho Chi Minh City. Collectively, these programs have raised over $500 million in seed funding for an array of startups.
Research that matters
Toronto Metropolitan University is a hub for world-leading researchers working to solve complex real-world problems. The distinctive core mission – to serve societal need – responds to the demand for highly skilled, creative and critical thinkers who address the increasingly interconnected challenges of the 21st century. Our faculty and students are willing to defy convention as they seek solutions to make the world a better place for all.
Building the cities of tomorrow takes a collaborative effort that crosses disciplines and sectors. From critical work in urban transportation and energy solutions to leading research on cybersecurity, democratic engagement and migration, immigration and settlement, our researchers partner with diverse communities, organizations, industries and governments to make a significant impact in a rapidly evolving world.
Learn more at www.torontomu.ca.
