MRU hires new faculty, expands student spaces to meet demand for programs with return to in-person learning this fall

Sept. 6, 2022

As the Fall Semester begins Sept. 8, Mount Royal University continues to grow, hiring professors and adding student spaces to increase access to post-secondary education for Albertans and meet the demands of growing enrolment and demand for programs.

"We are so excited to be back on campus opening minds and changing lives, with the focus on in-person and experiential learning that Mount Royal is known for," said President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Tim Rahilly, who recently had his term extended for another five years after his current term ends in 2024, by the MRU Board of Governors.

"Mount Royal is a community that supports each other and fosters a culture of mutual respect and I’m filled with optimism for the 2022-23 academic year."

As students return to in-person classes, a $15-million donation from the Taylor family, combined with $50 million from the government of Alberta, has allowed MRU to begin renovating unused areas into functional spaces with student-centred purposes. Two new classrooms, a flexible learning space, an active learning space and student study spaces have replaced old Conservatory rooms that have moved to the Taylor Centre for the Performing Arts. The next phase of renovations will see the old library space in the Lincoln Park campus transformed into a student-focused hub.

Mount Royal University has welcomed more than 60 new full-time assistant or associate professors and contract faculty this fall.

"Faculties have been in overdrive with recruiting to ensure our incoming faculty are set up for success as the Fall 2022 semester approaches," says Dr. Elizabeth Evans, interim provost and vice-president, academic.

"There has been a lot of change at MRU, which includes an evaluation of how we can support the growth of in-demand disciplines. I am so pleased that we have been able to allocate funding to enhance the teaching and research in existence with the incredibly talented team of academics we currently have here at MRU."

Despite the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for Mount Royal University’s programs from health and education to business, sciences, arts and aviation remains strong. MRU is currently projecting an enrolment rate for the 2022-23 academic year that will match the 15,000+ students who took advantage of a Mount Royal education last year.

The University continues to see strong demand for degree programs across a range of disciplines.Since the beginning of the institution's growth trajectory in 2014-15, MRU has increased overall Full Load Equivalent (the equivalent of one student for a year of study) by a remarkable 21.5%.

Many more students are pursuing diplomas and lifelong learning opportunities through Continuing Education and the Conservatory.