Best of All World's Meet in the Corridors of Dalhousie University

In academic terms, Dalhousie University might be described as achieving an optimal educational balance. President Tom Traves simply says it’s the best of all worlds.

“In contrast to very small universities, we have a rich curricula. At the same time, when you come to this campus, you’re not swamped,” he says. “Dalhousie also offers the greatest selection of courses in the province, but we also have one of the lowest student/faculty ratios of any university in the country.”

Dal, the largest university in Nova Scotia and the 26^th largest in the country, offers a wide and comprehensive range of undergraduate programs including arts, sciences, and commerce. It is also home to the province’s only medical school, law school, and environmental studies program – among others. At the same time, Dal is the leading research institution and training ground for graduate students earning Master’s, PhD and Post-doctorate degrees in a myriad of educational areas.

“No other university in the province has that at its mandate,” says Dr. Traves. “Dalhousie is Nova Scotia’s provincial university.”

It is a provincial university with an international reputation. Dalhousie oceanography professor Marlon Lewis, for example, is a key member of the NASA team that launched a special satellite sensor now orbiting Earth to record the shifting colours of the world’s oceans so the planet’s biological response to stresses such as climate change and pollution can be assessed.

The world also comes to Dalhousie’s doorstep. Recently Dalhousie’s School of Architecture and the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design co-hosted Expanding Bodies an international conference aimed at pushing both global and local planning and design to the next level with digital and smart technologies. Among the questions participants from around the world explored: How will the world’s cities evolve as buildings become more intelligent and responsive? How does remote sensing affect our perceptions of our surroundings?

Innovation is central to Dalhousie. “Indeed,” says Dr. Traves, “we regard innovation as part of our mandate.”

That depth of that innovation, he adds, goes beyond the ivy-covered walls of the campus. “It is important to us that we contribute to the economy and the cultural and social development of the region.”

Dal brings approximately $110 million a year in external research funding into the province. But its contribution is also creative, engaging and fun. Dal is a major culture centre in the community. The Dalhousie Art Gallery, the oldest public art gallery in Halifax, for instance, offers exhibitions, lectures, films, and artists' presentations free of charge as well as being the custodian of a rich, varied permanent collection of art held in trust for the enjoyment and education of the whole community.

The Rebecca Cohn Auditorium, home to Symphony Nova Scotia, showcases the best local, national and international talent. The National Ballet of Canada, Luciano Pavoratti, and Rita MacNeil are only three of the superstars who have graced its stage.

Whether its academically, economically, or culturally, Dal’s impact goes well beyond Nova Scotia. “Most universities in the country are a neighbourhood or provincial university,” notes Dr. Traves. “Dalhousie stands as an exception.”

Canada’s largest university, the University of Toronto, for example, draws 90 per cent of its students from Ontario. By contrast, Dal draws roughly 50 per cent of its students from outside the province. Eight per cent are from outside the country.

“Dal is a place where you can come and meet a wide range of people from around the world. That diversity adds to the experience of the university,” says Dr. Traves.

Dalhousie is also uniquely Nova Scotian. “Our university is responsive to our province and our society,” notes Dr. Traves. That responsiveness is reflected in the major research areas Dalhousie has identified. They include health, ocean studies, energy, and environment.

Such research encompasses a unique agreement between Dalhousie University and Stanford University to collaborate on new discoveries involving a novel target for obesity that could lead to better prevention and/or treatment of obesity and its outcomes, including diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Nova Scotia has among the highest rates of these conditions in the country.

The university has also become the epicenter for international oceans’ research. The Ocean Tracking Network, headquartered at Dalhousie University and led by Dr. Ron O’Dor, unites the finest marine scientists in the world, in the most comprehensive and revolutionary examination of marine life and ocean conditions, and how they are changing as the earth warms. A global monitoring system will track the movement and behaviour of diverse marine species — salmon to turtles to whales. The network will establish “listening curtains,” comprised of innovative Canadian-made technology, in 14 ocean regions covering the entire planet.

Dalhousie has been an integral part of the province, and its capital city, since 1818. That connection is important to both. “Our home is here, and people are attracted to our home. There is a quality of life – on campus and off,” says Dr. Traves.

“Halifax is a really cool place to be,” he adds. “There’s the ocean. There’s the music. There’s the bars. It’s different than Toronto or Calgary.”

It’s simply the best of all worlds.

www.dal.ca

<< Back to list of Charter Members