University of Calgary celebrates installation of Dr. Ed McCauley as president and vice-chancellor

In a room full of accomplished academics and university leaders from across the country, as well as students, faculty, staff, alumni and community leaders, President Ed McCauley said he is thrilled to have been selected to take over the leadership of the University of Calgary.

“Great research universities transform and improve the lives of students, our societies and the world around us. We do so by creating new knowledge every day, by increasing our understanding of the world, and by creating safe spaces for people to come together to solve problems and have respectful discussions,” said Dr. McCauley, PhD.

“We do so by inspiring our students and creating environments for them to discover, to create and to innovate.”

More than 1,000 attended the ceremony held in the Olympic Oval on Monday, including presidents, leaders and representatives from McGill University, the University of Toronto, the University of Ottawa, Western University, Queen’s University, the University of Alberta and Mount Royal University.

McCauley was introduced by Jill Wyatt, chair of UCalgary’s Board of Governors and took the Oath of Office from Lieutenant-Governor Lois Mitchell.

During his address, McCauley referenced numerous achievements of students and faculty who were in the crowd and recognized community champions and alumni as part of the “university family” that drives the success of UCalgary. He set out some of his priorities for the future, including his commitment to make the University of Calgary a globally recognized research university by building and expanding on the work already underway.

“We are on the cusp of becoming a truly great research university,” said McCauley during his installation ceremony, “one that provides an outstanding student experience — where our students actively engage in producing new knowledge, exploring new forms of creativity and pursuing bold innovations. At the same time, they are building foundational expertise and disciplines, learning to collaborate and communicate effectively, and building lifelong connections and networks.

“In a globally connected world, the work being done here and the ideas being fostered here are needed more than ever. Our students go out and expand this university’s impact far beyond our campus and borders.”

McCauley’s installation marked the culmination of more than 30 years at UCalgary. An internationally recognized scholar and one of the world’s foremost researchers in population ecology, he has accumulated numerous academic honours, including a fellowship at the Royal Society of Canada, a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair, six international visiting chairs and distinguished professorships.

A leader with a track record of building excellence in student experience, research and innovation, entrepreneurial thinking, and collaborative partnerships, McCauley is also the architect of many broad-based national and international relationships with industry, community and government.

Monday’s installation ceremony also featured a performance of Taking the High Road, a jazz piece composed by Juno-award-winning composer and UCalgary professor Allan Bell, specifically to honour McCauley, as well as a solo performance by local flamenco guitarist Tosh Hayashi.