U of A Joins Canadian Graduate Engineering Consortium Tour

The University of Alberta recently joined the Canadian Graduate Engineering Consortium (CGEC), a group of leading engineering graduate schools across Canada. This consortium organizes an annual multi-day, in-person recruitment tour on each member university’s campus, allowing prospective students to explore research opportunities and receive personalized guidance on applying to graduate programs. The CGEC tour offers a unique opportunity for students to connect with faculty members, admissions advisors and current students from Canada’s top engineering programs.

"Our recent admission to the Canadian Graduate Engineering Consortium places us among eight of Canada’s top engineering graduate schools," says Peter Schiavone, Associate Dean, Graduate Programs. "Each year, the CGEC tour will help us showcase our graduate study opportunities and connect directly with faculty and advisors across the country."

As part of this year’s tour, the U of A assembled three teams to attend recruitment events at other member universities. Hao Zhang, Trina Cattral and Kiera Greenaway represented U of A at the University of Toronto, TMU and York University; Lindsey Westover and Heather Woodbury visited the University of Waterloo, McMaster and Queen’s; and Zaher Hashisho and Trina Cattral attended the University of British Columbia tour stop.

At each location, the teams were prepared with promotional materials to showcase the U of A’s graduate programs, including an online viewbook and QR-code postcards. The tour strengthened the U of A’s presence within the national graduate engineering community and allowed prospective students to see the unique programs we offer up close.

On October 3, we hosted representatives from other CGEC member universities at our recruitment event in the ETLC Solarium. The event attracted over 150 registered students who had the chance to meet representatives from top engineering schools and explore pathways to further their studies.

“We were thrilled to host the CGEC member universities here,” says Schiavone. “The event was a tremendous success and a fantastic opportunity to connect with future graduate students eager to explore engineering at a higher level.” The turnout and enthusiasm at the event underscored the value of the CGEC partnership and the interest in advanced engineering at the U of A.

As a new CGEC member, the U of A is excited to continue building connections across Canada’s top engineering institutions. For those interested in learning more about CGEC, visit their website  to explore the consortium’s mission and find upcoming events.