Lakehead University has climbed to one of the highest positions among Canada's undergraduate research universities, according to new rankings released on December 4 by Research Infosource Inc.
Lakehead shines in Research Infosource's list of the Top 50 Research Universities of 2025, moving up one spot to secure its place as the #2 undergraduate research university in Canada. Lakehead continues to rank 35th overall among all Canadian research-intensive universities.
"Our continued success reflects the exceptional talent, capacity, and research leadership at Lakehead University," said President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Gillian Siddall. "This recognition validates the university's commitment to advancing discovery that matters, connecting knowledge to community, and preparing students to shape the future as we drive social and economic progress in our regions and beyond."
Over the past decade, Lakehead has emerged as a national research leader, with significant growth in research funding and infrastructure investment. The university's total research income continues to grow year-over-year, increasing 4.1 per cent to $28 million from 2023 to 2024. Once again, Lakehead holds the top spot among Canada's undergraduate universities for not-for-profit research income, attracting $7.2 million in funding.
"Lakehead University is a valued and trusted research partner," stated Dr. Langis Roy, Vice-President of Research and Innovation. "Working with collaborators in Indigenous communities, social service organizations, hospitals, and other post-secondary institutions, our researchers are making a difference in the communities and regions we serve and driving tangible societal change."
Lakehead continues to outperform in cross-sector Artificial Intelligence (AI) research collaborations, with nearly 150 international publications on the topic, showing that university researchers are at the forefront of real-world innovation and transformation.
"Lakehead is leading the nation in AI publication growth, demonstrating our commitment to merging our deep expertise in areas such as health, environmental science, mining, and natural resources management, with new cutting-edge technologies," said Dr. Roy. "We have an interdisciplinary, community-connected approach to advancing the innovation economy."
"The launch of the Barrie STEM Hub in fall 2026 will broaden our capacity to provide high-tech, hands-on environments for students to participate in groundbreaking research and develop the future-focused skills needed for the jobs of tomorrow," he added.
For more information about Canada's Top 50 Research Universities 2025, visit: https://researchinfosource.com/cil/2025/top-50-research-universities
