The University of Waterloo invites applications, nominations, and expressions of interest for the position of its eighth President and Vice-Chancellor, with the appointment to be effective July 1, 2026.
The University of Waterloo is a leading global research-intensive institution that contributes to local and global prosperity. It is home to a renowned talent pipeline, game-changing research and technology, and an unmatched entrepreneurial culture. Together with the world’s largest co-operative education program in a research-intensive university, these differentiating strengths allow its students and faculty to create solutions that tackle today’s challenges and transform the future. For example, information about an exciting new healthcare development can be found at CareNext Coalition. The University has built an extensive network of healthcare and industry collaboration, generated nearly 20 percent of tech founders in Canada, and delivers a dynamic learning experience for more than 42,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Waterloo is at the forefront of innovation and is home to transformational research and inspired learning. Located in the heart of Canada's technology hub, the University is growing a network of global partnerships that will shape the future by working beyond disciplines and building bridges with industry, institutions, and communities. Waterloo at 100 outlines the University’s strategic visioning.
The best and brightest are drawn to the University of Waterloo for the opportunity to collaborate with, and be elevated by, a world-class peer group with enviable rankings. Waterloo is cited in the New York Times as “one of the world’s top technology schools” and has been ranked by peers as Canada’s most innovative university for 30 of the last 33 years. In that context, the Arts and Humanities are needed as never before, to frame that experience of change, and to help make sense of it. Strategic integration of teaching and academic excellence, experiential education, entrepreneurial spirit, and impact-driven and foundational research make the University of Waterloo one of the most relevant, connected, and innovative institutions in the world.
The President and Vice-Chancellor is the Chief Executive Officer of the University of Waterloo and has general supervision over, and direction of, the operation of the University of Waterloo, providing institutional leadership and oversight with a commitment to academic freedom and collegial governance, developing and driving institutional vision and strategies, and acting as the University's principal ambassador and principal voice. The President focuses on enhancing the performance of the University as a leading institution of higher learning dedicated to advancing learning and knowledge through teaching, research, and scholarship, locally, nationally, and internationally, in an environment of free expression and inquiry.
The President is a senior, tenured, faculty member of academic stature with a proven record of leadership and administrative experience, responsible for administering the affairs of the University and acting on behalf of the Board of Governors with respect to the operational management and control of the University. They oversee and uphold the University’s policies, with a leadership role in maintaining and sustaining the intellectual independence and integrity of the University, by exercising academic leadership in both internal and external matters and fostering an environment to promote the highest standards of excellence in teaching and research. The President serves as chair of the University’s Senate and as a member of the Board of Governors, and has the responsibility to work with and advise these two bodies that have ultimate authority over the University's affairs. More about the University of Waterloo’s leadership and governance structure is available here. The organizational chart for the Office of the President provides the scope of the significant reporting relationships.
The new President will be first and foremost the leader of a truly unique university. They will inspire an outstanding University community to achieve its ambitions and leverage the strengths of their team to turn vision into reality, supported by the counsel of the Board of Governors to which the President is ultimately accountable. To do this, the successful candidate will understand and appreciate Waterloo’s unique approach to solving humankind’s significant problems as enunciated in the strategic vision. The next President will build trust across a diverse community and will engage with students and guide them on their way to becoming global leaders. They will be committed to the success of world-class faculty, staff, and students – actively engaging the campus to foster a deep sense of community. They will be a collaborative leader, excellent communicator, and diverse team-builder who will take Waterloo to new heights. The world is facing countless global challenges. Waterloo is dedicated to making the world a better place and the next President will continue that legacy. The incoming President will have a continuous, proven record of leadership and administrative management, and current experience in a complex, large-scale university position. The Presidential mandate and Position Profile can be requested at: WaterlooPresident@lavernesmith.com.
The consultants will begin review of candidates immediately, with committee consultation beginning in the fall. The search will continue until the position is successfully filled, ideally by July 1, 2026. Applications should include a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and the names (not letters) of three references (who will not be contacted without the consent of the candidate), and should be submitted in confidence to the University’s executive search consultants:
Laverne Smith & Associates Inc.
WaterlooPresident@lavernesmith.com
