Motto | Through Tireless Effort, Knowledge, and Understanding |
---|---|
Type | Public |
Established | 1981 |
Chairperson | Shane King |
Chancellor | George Melville |
President | Dr. Alan Davis |
Provost | Dr. Salvador Ferreras |
Academic staff
|
1600 |
Students | 20,000 |
Location | Surrey, Richmond, Langley, Cloverdale, British Columbia, Canada |
Campus | Urban, 92.988 acres (0.376 km²) net |
Colours |
Rich Burgundy White |
Mascot | Eagle |
Affiliations | AUCC, IAU, CICan, ACU, CBIE, CUP |
Website | kpu.ca |
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (commonly abbreviated to KPU) is a public degree-granting undergraduate polytechnic university in British Columbia with campuses located in Surrey, Richmond, Cloverdale, and Langley. KPU is one of the largest institutions by enrollment in British Columbia with a total of 20,000 students and 1,600 faculty members across its four locations encompassing the Metro Vancouver district. KPU operates as the only English-language polytechnic university in Canada (Montréal's Polytechnique School offering programs in French) and provides undergraduate and vocational education including bachelor's degrees, associate degrees, diplomas, certificates, apprenticeships and citations in more than 200 diverse programs. The school operates largely as an undergraduate polytechnic university but also functions as a vocational and technical school, offering apprenticeships for the skilled trades and diplomas in vocational education for skilled technicians and workers in support roles in professions such as engineering, accountancy, business administration, nursing, medicine, architecture, and law.
Prior to being granted authority as a University college, Kwantlen Polytechnic University was founded as Kwantlen College as a response to the growing need for expanded vocational training across the Fraser Valley. In 2008, the provincial government announced its intention to amend the University Act to appoint Kwantlen University College a polytechnic university. The legislation renaming the University College to University received royal assent on May 29, 2008 and KPU began operation as Kwantlen Polytechnic University on September 1, 2008.