Where else but at the University of Northern British Columbia can you study in a teaching and learning centre with a 360-degree panoramic view that stretches all the way to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains? Wood-and-glass hilltop buildings nestle among the trees on the Prince George campus. The school’s heating system, which uses biomass from sawmills, has earned environmental accolades from afar, and the Wood Innovation Research Laboratory is recognized as a passive house, meaning it uses significantly less energy than a standard building. Sustainability defines UNBC, and the university responds to the region it serves.

“We are always looking for new ways to look beyond the traditional ‘four walls’ of the academy to bring the exceptional teaching, research and service that we do to the communities we serve, and beyond,” says interim president Geoff Payne. To serve the north even better, UNBC expanded with campuses in Terrace, Quesnel and Fort St. John, and also offers courses through an agreement with the Wilp Wilxo’oskwhl Nisga’a Institute in Gitwinksihlkw. Students at all campuses benefit from a high degree of access to their professors. Last year, UNBC launched the northern baccalaureate nursing program at its Fort St. John campus, while education programs were expanded with a revamp in Terrace and a newly established program in Quesnel. Meanwhile, a master of applied science in engineering was launched earlier this year.