History, Affiliations and Rankings

Lakehead University arose from the 1946 founding of the Lakehead Technical Institute (LTI). In 1956, Lakehead changed its name to Lakehead College of Arts, Science, and Technology. The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario gave Royal Assent to the Lakehead University Act in 1965, and Lakehead University was created. Lakehead University's Faculty of Business Administration in Thunder Bay has earned the highly-coveted accreditation with the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). It is positioned #801-1000 in the World University Rankings 2022 and 99th in the Impact Rankings 2021 by the Times Higher Education. Lakehead was ranked #1 in Ontario in student awards (tied), faculty awards, and total library expenses in Maclean's 2021 University Rankings.

Infrastructure, Campuses and Courses

Lakehead University is situated in the heart of the city. It has two campuses. The main campus of Lakehead University is located in Thunder Bay. Thunder Bay, located on the beaches of Lake Superior in Northwestern Ontario, is indeed "superior by nature." The other one is located at Orillia. With Lakehead’s partnership with Georgian College, they also now offer selected programs at the Georgian-Lakehead campus in Barrie, Ontario. The sky's the limit when it comes to opportunities at Lakehead University. It offers over 57 fields of study to explore at the Undergraduate level and 30 Graduate programs at the Masters and Doctoral levels. 

Accomplishments and Alumni 

Research InfoSource has ranked Lakehead University as the best Canadian undergraduate research university. This is the first time a university has achieved this milestone five times in this area. The graduate job placement rates are higher than the provincial and national averages for public universities. This distinction highlights the long-standing and well-known dedication to offering a transformative university experience based on outstanding scholarship and the potential of each individual student. Throughout the years, Lakehead University has had a significant impact on the Alumni Count. Honorable Steven Ashton, Minister of Water Stewardship/MLA Thompson, Government of Manitoba, Glenn Bindley, President and CEO, Redlen Technologies and Richard Buset, Managing Partner, Buset & Partners LLP, are just a few of the notable alumni.

Student Diversity and Visiting Companies

Throughout the year, the Lakehead University Student Union (LUSU) provides a wide range of services, organizations, jobs, and volunteer opportunities. It's where students can get involved, socialize, take action, and voice their thoughts. There are 18% of International students enrolled at the University. It welcomes students from over 70 countries. For the enjoyment, fun and refreshment of all the learners, it has more than 20 student clubs. Lakehead students are top 3 in Ontario for job readiness. With an average employment rate of 96.7% two years after graduation, the graduates are career-ready. Many events and webinars are organized on a regular basis to ensure opportunities flow throughout the season for the students. Some of the recruiters that visit Lakehead for student placements are - Bosch, SAP Canada, Blackberry, Royal Bank of Canada, IBM, Grant Thornton, Exxonmobil and the Government of Canada among others.