Join us as we take a moment to reflect on the events, achievements and news highlights of a memorable year for our students, faculty and staff.

1. A Decade on Top

For the tenth year in a row, Trent University ranked the number one undergraduate university in Ontario, according to the Maclean’s University Rankings. Trent also led the way in several student support categories, and ranked #1 in Canada for scholarships for the 20th consecutive year. In other rankings news, Trent’s exceptional learning environment and academic performance earned the University a spot in the top 6.2% of universities worldwide in the 2020/21 Centre for World University Rankings.

2. Growing a Sustainable Campus

Trent continued to build on our reputation as a world-leading environmental university in 2020 – ranking the third most sustainable university in Canada (80th in the world) in the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings. Trent’s leadership in this area is also highlighted through the draft Trent Lands and Nature Areas Plan, which seeks to demonstrate leadership in conserving and stewarding Trent’s extensive natural environment, while building vital campus and community infrastructure in ways that not only minimize impact to the environment, but create net benefit to the ecosystem. This year, Trent was also recognized for having a second 3 Star Certified Green Restaurant becoming the only university in Canada to have two facilities recognized for standards in food options, energy efficiency and waste diversion.

3. Taking the Trent Durham Experience to the Next Level

There was a palpable energy and excitement at Trent University Durham GTA this September as we welcomed the first students to live on the campus in Trent’s 46 year history in the region. With award-winning architecture, dynamic new spaces and innovative new academic programs, including Journalism & Creative Writing, Communications, Logistics & Supply Chain Management and Policing and Community Well-Being, there has never been a better time to study at Trent Durham.

4. First-of-Its-Kind Forensic Crime Scene Facility Takes Shape

Sector-leading modular spaces for staging crime scenes; on-site lab space; instant replay cameras to help students sharpen their analytical skills – all features of Trent’s new state-of-the-art Forensic Crime Scene Facility. Slated for opening in early 2021, the building will also be the first zero-carbon facility of its kind in Canada.

5. Welcoming Two New Canada Research Chairs

How do we get to the root of Canada’s youth homelessness problem? Or begin to imagine a post-carbon future? Two new Canada research chairs (CRC) at Trent University – Dr. Anne Pasek, CRC in Media, Culture and the Environment, and Dr. Naomi Nichols, CRC in Community-Partnered Social Justice – will seek answers to these fundamental contemporary questions while advancing Trent’s reputation for conscientious, future-focused research.

6. Trent Research Makes Headlines

Trent researchers made big headlines nationally and internationally this year with a diverse range of research topics including: New York Times coverage of how anxiety has crept into people’s dreams during the pandemic; Globe and Mail front page news examining the impact of nanosilver on fish and freshwater ecosystems; a Washington Post piece on the role of women in combatting vaccine hesitancy; and an Ottawa Citizen opinion piece on the value of a humanities degree, just to name a few.

7. Rallying Behind Our Local Communities

2020 was anything but a “normal year”, but Trent’s commitment to the communities it calls home remained strong. This year, Trent became the first university to open its residence spaces as temporary housing for frontline healthcare workers who needed to voluntarily self-isolate from their families. In this COVID year, the Trent community also came together to make donations of PPE, food and freezers to community support agencies. The community also rallied to support students through the Student Rapid Relief Fund and the Remote Learning Initiative.

8. Career Connections Abound through New CEO-in-Residence Program

The School of Business at Trent University welcomed Dr. Katie Taylor, one of Canada’s most powerful women, as its first CEO-in-residence. As the inaugural CEO-in-residence will give students at both the Peterborough and Durham unparalleled access, inspiration and mentorship opportunities.

9. Growing In-Demand Skills with New Graduate Programs
This year, the School of Graduate Studies launched several innovative new programs, including: a first of its kind, 16-month professional Master’s Degree in Strategic Change Management; a collaborative Master of Nursing in Professional Practice Leadership; and Trent’s first new Ph.D. program in 13 years – the Interdisciplinary Social Research Ph.D..

The new graduate programs, complement Trent’s undergraduate offerings of 100+ undergraduate programs, including our newest programs in Kinesiology, Financial Analytics and Criminology.

10. Trent Talks

In a time where our local, campus and alumni communities needed reliable and thought-provoking information about a rapidly-evolving world, Trent delivered. A new interactive video series, Trent Talks hosted and moderated by Trent chancellor Dr. Stephen Stohn, offered engaging discussions with Trent experts on a range of topics including everything from the environment and epidemiology to learning at home and unmasking racism.