Public polytechnic university in British Columbia offering over 140 applied programmes, including trades and technology, with work-integrated learning across five Metro Vancouver campuses.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) is a public, degree-granting undergraduate polytechnic university in British Columbia, Canada, and the only polytechnic university in the country. Established by the provincial government in 1981, it offers more than 140 academic programs - bachelor's degrees, associate degrees, diplomas, certificates and citations - that combine traditional academics with hands-on skills training. Almost 20,000 students attend courses annually across five campuses in the Metro Vancouver region, in Surrey, Richmond, Langley, Cloverdale and at Civic Plaza, making it one of the largest post-secondary institutions in British Columbia.
Its faculties and schools span the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Health, the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Trades and Technology, alongside the Melville School of Business and the Wilson School of Design. Trades and technology form a core part of the institution's remit, alongside applied programmes in health, science, business, design and the arts. Work-integrated learning is embedded across the curriculum, with co-ops, practicums and paid internships giving students industry experience before graduation.
The name Kwantlen was gifted by the Kwantlen First Nation, with which the university maintains a special relationship; it means "Tireless Runner", reflected in the motto "Through tireless effort, knowledge, and understanding". The university provides dedicated services for Indigenous students and continues reconciliation work with Indigenous communities. Its coat of arms, featuring a wolf and salmon, was created by former Fine Arts student Brandon Gabriel.
