Since our founding in 1827, the University of Toronto has been home to extraordinary students who have helped build a community based around shared learning, innovative teaching, and an inclusive, rich student experience. For almost 200 years our students and faculty have dared to ask big questions and pushed the boundaries of what’s possible. U of T’s groundbreaking work across the humanities, social sciences, sciences and the professions has led to breakthrough discoveries, foundational technologies and new ways of understanding our place in the world and the cosmos. I am truly honoured to serve as the University’s 17th President, and I am humbled by our wonderful community of students, staff, faculty, librarians, and alumni.
Today, we are global leaders in fields as diverse as bioinnovation, materials science, the study of democracy and authoritarianism, philosophy, and the responsible development of artificial intelligence. We bring together brilliant minds across our three campuses and partner with institutions worldwide to tackle the most difficult global challenges. That spirit of collaboration and determination has helped make U of T the world’s most sustainable university for two years in a row. We are also a powerful engine of economic growth and a conduit for social mobility. Our commitment to inclusive excellence means we educate and offer financial support to students from every socioeconomic background at a scale unmatched in Canada and beyond. When our students graduate, they join our growing community of alumni — now more than 700,000 strong — in every sector imaginable. Together, we defy gravity.
As we enter our third century, the University of Toronto matters more than ever. We are a force for tremendous good, building prosperity and well-being at home in Canada and around the world. I am enormously proud to be a double graduate of this institution, and I am filled with optimism for what we can accomplish together as we look to the future.
Melanie Woodin, an internationally recognized neuroscientist who studies the mechanisms underlying learning and memory in the brain, has been named the University of Toronto’s 17th president. The appointment is for a five-year term, effective July 1, 2025.
Stay up to date with President Woodin by exploring her latest activities on our three campuses and her recent engagement with the wider community.
The President is the Chief Executive Officer of the University of Toronto. Together with the President’s Leadership Team, the President upholds the vision, mission, and global reputation of the University.