Advancing U of G’s Distinctive Student Experience That Fuels Success and Future Impact
The University of Guelph is taking a holistic and inclusive approach to support student success. This includes continued investment in experiential learning opportunities and flexible academic pathways for our students to gain real-world experience, while creating a supportive and welcoming environment for our global community. Additionally, our dedication to providing comprehensive mental health and wellness supports establishes U of G as a leader in fostering healthy and successful student experiences.
Goals
- Propel student success by guaranteeing every student an experiential learning opportunity and flexible pathways for studying in and across disciplines.
- Design and deliver supports and services to ensure that international students thrive and have a sense of belonging within U of G’s community.
- Be recognized as a leader in providing mental health services and supports for our students and their support networks.
Key Measures
2023-24 / 2024-25
- Students graduating with at least one experiential learning opportunity: 76% / 77%
- Students who agree or strongly agree that they feel a sense of belonging to the university community: 69% / 74%
- Students believe they are receiving adequate mental and emotional support: 78% / 84%
- Students reported their mental well-being as excellent, good, or average: 73% / 79%
- First-year students who continued to their second year: 91% / 92%
Achievements
School of Continuing Studies: Flexibility & Lifelong Learning
With the launch of the School of Continuing Studies in August 2024, U of G created a dedicated academic home for non-traditional learners. The school aims to cultivate a tomorrow-ready institution and create more pathways designed to meet the diverse needs of international, part-time, and lifelong learners.
Trauma-Informed Training to Support Student Success
U of G launched Trauma-Informed Care Training: Connecting with Compassion (TIC:CC), a two-hour session designed to help faculty and staff respond with empathy and awareness to students navigating mental health challenges, past trauma, or marginalization.
Graduate Learning in Action: Internships and Clinical Experience
A new internship course launched by the Ontario Agricultural College connects master’s students with real-world placements in agri-food, environmental science, and public health—bridging academic learning with professional development. Meanwhile, at the newly opened Maplewoods Centre for Family Therapy and Child Psychology, clinical graduate students are delivering supervised care to the community while gaining vital hands-on experience.
Undergraduate Marine Biology Field Course
U of G’s renowned coastal Marine Biology and Oceanography field course launched a two-week session in November 2024 at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre. Students gathered real-world ecological data, worked with Indigenous Peskotomuhkati Elders, and explored tidal ecosystems, gaining hands-on research experience and a deeper understanding of science and culture.