Prince George, B.C. – The University of Northern British Columbia has placed second out of 20 universities in the Primarily Undergraduate category in the latest edition of the Maclean’s magazine university rankings released on Thursday.

This marks the 21^st consecutive year UNBC has finished in the top five in its category, and in 17 of the past 18 years, UNBC has finished in the top three. UNBC placed second in its category in the previous two years.

“Our consistently strong performance in Maclean's annual university rankings highlights the culture of curiosity at UNBC and the remarkable dedication of the entire University community to excel at teaching, learning and inquiry,” says UNBC President Dr. Geoff Payne. “It is the passion and hard work of students, the inspiring teaching and innovative research of faculty, and the unwavering efforts of staff to nurture a diverse and inclusive environment that make UNBC a leader in education and research. Together, we are Ready to empower future leaders to make a meaningful impact in northern British Columbia and beyond.”

This year, UNBC placed first in its category for students who win national awards, which include scholarships UNBC students earned from professional organizations as well as federal funding agencies such as the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

UNBC also scored well in categories related to faculty excellence, research funding and the investments UNBC makes in critical areas such as student services and library resources.

Mount Allison placed first in the primarily undergraduate category. Simon Fraser was first in comprehensive, and McGill was ranked the best in the medical/doctoral category.