Top Universities in the US and Canada Under 50 Years Old

Universities in the US and Canada include many of the world’s best-known and most prestigious institutions. Many have built up strong reputations over the past two centuries, but some have climbed into the international rankings tables impressively quickly.

From the Ivy Leaguers to equally prestigious public universities, more than 140 US institutions are included among the world’s best in the 2013/14 QS World University Rankings®, joined by 26 Canadian entries. Of these, just three US universities and two Canadian institutions feature in the latest edition of the QS Top 50 Under 50, which highlights the world’s highest ranking universities established within the last 50 years.

The relatively low number of universities in the US and Canada included in the Top 50 Under 50 in part reflects the prevalence of longer established institutions in these countries compared to nations with more youthful higher education systems. However, the ranking also proves that even in the US and Canada, younger universities are taking root and achieving the strong reputation and research production needed to rank on the global level.

Based on the recently published edition of the QS Top 50 Under 50, here’s a closer look at the top young universities in the US and Canada

University of California, Irvine – US

The University of California, Irvine is a public research university located in the city of Irvine in Orange County, California, and is the first in our list of top universities in the US and Canada under 50 years old. Coming 7^th in the Top 50 Under 50 and ranked 149^th in the world, the university is the second newest and the fifth largest in the University of California system, with just over 28,100 students. Established in 1965, the school has a diverse range of degree programs as well as a teaching hospital and a share of the University of California Natural Reserve System. Irvine is known for its industry in the technology sector, boasts a particularly low violent-crime rate, and is twinned with the city of Tsukuba in Japan.

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University of Calgary – Canada

The first of the two universities in Canada to appear in the QS Top 50 Under 50 is the University of Calgary, a private research university ranked 13^th in the Top 50 Under 50 and 201^st in the world. Located in Calgary, an affluent and modern city in Alberta dripping with oil money, the University of Calgary was established in 1966, is rated among the top research universities in Canada and is home to over 31,000 students. Established on the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers, the city is just one hour’s drive away from where prairies evolve into the Rocky Mountains, offering some of the best and most awe-inspiring scenery on the continent. Famous for the Calgary Stampede, an annual cowboy carnival taking place over 10 days in July, Calgary – or “Cowtown” as it is still sometimes known – is energetic, student-friendly and full of trendy neighborhoods.

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Simon Fraser University – Canada

Sitting atop Burnaby Mountain and surrounded by over 1,400 acres of forested conservation site in the vast Canadian province of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University arguably has the most enchanting location of these top young universities in the US and Canada. Established in 1965 and ranked 17^th in the Top 50 Under 50 and joint 244^th in the world, the school offers not only a brilliant location but also a comprehensive list of academic programs and sports facilities. In sharp and peculiar contrast to its elevated surroundings, the school also hosts some great examples of Brutalist architecture and has been used for a number of futuristic film sets. Currently, Simon Fraser University has a student body of almost 35,400.

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University of California, Santa Cruz – US

Ranked 34^th in the Top 50 Under 50 and joint 307^th in the world, the University of California, Santa Cruz is the second of the universities in the US in this list to be part of the University of California system. This may reflect the state’s dedication to innovation and technology, due in no small part to the success of Silicon Valley, the world-leading hub for high-tech innovation and development. The university, established in 1965 and home to 17,200 students, is located near the southwestern bay of the city of San Jose among a number of vast state parks and reserves. Just over an hour’s drive along the coast from San Francisco in the northwest, the University of California, Santa Cruz is known for its political activism, its liberal arts focus, and its annual ‘First Rain’ event which features students stripping off and running through campus on the day of the first heavy rain each year.

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University of Texas at Dallas – US

The top ranked university in Dallas and ranking 50^th in the Top 50 Under 50, the University of Texas at Dallas is another young institution worth keeping an eye on. Established in 1969 and ranked joint 366^th in the world, the school has a student body of just over 18,800 students and is renowned for its mathematics, science and engineering programs as well as for being home to one of the best business schools in Texas. Just a 25 minute drive north of the center of Dallas, students of the University of Texas at Dallas get to experience the cowboy/city culture of the ‘Big D’, along with being near some of the state’s great and unique museums. Its 68-acre arts district has recently become the largest in the US.

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Image credits: SFU/Wikicommons; uci.edu; ic.gc.ca; Forbes.com