Ryerson is Canada’s leader in innovative, career-focused education and a university clearly on the move. Located in downtown Toronto, it is a distinctly urban university with a focus on innovation and entrepreneurship. Ryerson has a mission to serve societal need and a long-standing commitment to engaging its community.
The most applied-to university in Ontario relative to available spaces, Ryerson's reputation with business and community leaders continues to rise.
The university offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs. Culturally diverse and inclusive, Ryerson is home to 38,000 undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students, 2,500 faculty and staff, and has more than 140,000 alumni worldwide.
The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education is the country’s largest, offering 1,400 courses and 80 certificate programs.
Ryerson is reshaping downtown Toronto with new buildings such as the iconic Mattamy Athletic Centre at the Gardens, the award-winning Ryerson Image Centre in the heart of campus, and the Student Learning Centre on Yonge Street.
History
Ryerson University’s history is rooted in innovative, career-driven education with the goal of addressing contemporary societal needs. Named after Ontario’s first Superintendent of Education and leading public school advocate, Egerton Ryerson, it began as a postsecondary institute designed to combine technical education with academic theory for the first time.
1940s-1960s: The Early Years
The Ryerson Institute of Technology was established in 1948 in response to the need for skilled tradespeople following the Second World War. Built on the historical site of Ontario’s first teacher training college -- known as the Toronto Normal School -- approximately 250 students enrolled in Ryerson’s first year. The new institute offered theoretical and practical training in various skilled trades such as architecture, costume design and photography. The student newspaper, The Ryersonian, was founded in 1949.
1960s-1980s: A Time of Growth
Following several years of institutional growth, “polytechnic” was added to Ryerson’s title in 1963 to adequately represent its growing range of programs. Ryerson Polytechnic Institute gained degree-granting authority in 1971, and the campus continued to expand with the construction of Lake Devo in 1979. During this time, yearly enrollment at Ryerson exceeded 10,000 students, and the school launched various innovative projects including the Energy Centre and the option to take courses delivered over the radio.
1990s-2000s: Official University Status
Proving a commitment to build on its research capacity and academic reach, Ryerson gained official university status in 1993. In the following years, the university began offering graduate and doctoral degree programs and opened the Raymond G. Chang School of Continuing Education. In 2002, Ryerson Polytechnic University shortened its title to Ryerson University, reflecting the school’s rising profile as a full-fledged university with strong academic programming.
2010s – present: City Building, Zone Learning and What’s Next
Ryerson University is currently recognized as a leading institution for research and innovation, being ranked the top institution for undergraduate research in Canada in 2014. Within the past decade, the university has launched various research centres and institutes, as well as the Zone Learning option for students and business professionals interested in entrepreneurship.
Ryerson’s location at the heart of downtown Toronto has motivated numerous strategic partnerships with surrounding businesses and spaces. The most significant recent development is the construction of four new Ryerson buildings: the Mattamy Athletic Centre at Toronto’s historic Maple Leaf Gardens, the award-winning Student Learning Centre on Yonge Street, the Ryerson Image Centre on campus and the upcoming Daphne Cockwell Health Sciences Complex.
