Greetings from the University of Toronto

On behalf of the University of Toronto (U of T), let me say how delighted we are to host the THE World Academic Summit 2021. Whether you are joining us in person or virtually, I think you will agree that Toronto and its namesake university provide an ideal setting in which to explore the theme of this year’s summit, “How powerful is place?”.

The Greater Toronto Area is one of the most dynamic urban regions on the planet, featuring a highly diversified economy and a high quality of life. Not coincidentally, it is also the world’s most multicultural city-region.

U of T both benefits from and enhances the success of its host region. The university is home to an extremely wide range of academic excellence across the humanities, sciences, social sciences and professions. With our extensive network of local and international partners, we are well-positioned to help address the greatest challenges of our time.

Together, the Toronto region and U of T provide a compelling example of the mutually beneficial relationship between universities and their host regions. It is a relationship that, despite being challenged by the Covid-19 pandemic, continues to grow in prominence and influence in dozens of places around the globe.

Welcome to the THE World Academic Summit 2021. Welcome to Toronto. And welcome to U of T.

Meric Gertler

President
University of Toronto

3

campuses

1,000

study programmes

93,000+

students

Top 5

for global research impact

8th

in graduate global employability

630,000

alumni in 190+ countries and territories

About the University of Toronto

Founded in 1827, the University of Toronto (U of T) is one of the world’s leading institutions of higher learning. Situated in the world’s most diverse city, U of T is a destination for top talent, a magnet for ideas and innovation and a beacon of excellence and inclusion.

Our tri-campus system is renowned internationally for its history of groundbreaking discoveries and innovative teaching that provides students with a comprehensive global education with a transformative educational experience. Our stellar reputation has placed us amongst the top 20 schools in the world and first among Canadian schools by the Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings for the second year in a row.

For nearly two centuries, our longstanding reputation for research, ideas, and talent have led to trailblazing scientific breakthroughs. One of the most significant advances in the history of medicine, insulin, was discovered at the University of Toronto 100 years ago. The Nobel prize-winning breakthrough ignited a century of health innovation, improved millions of lives around the world, and paved the way for other ground-breaking discoveries, like stem cells, deep learning, neural networks and many more.

We are proud to be located in one of the world's most diverse regions, where we continue to drive economic growth and promote social well-being in Canada and globally.

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