University of Victoria

History

The University of Victoria is the oldest post-secondary institution in British Columbia. First established in 1903 as Victoria College, an affiliated college of McGill University, it gained full autonomy and degree-granting status through a charter on July 1, 1963.

Between 1903 and 1915, Victoria College offered first- and second-year McGill courses in the arts and sciences. Administered locally by the Victoria School Board, the college was an adjunct to Victoria High School and shared its facilities. Both institutions were under the direction of a single Principal: E.B. Paul, 1903–1908; and S.J. Willis, 1908–1915.

In 1915, the opening of the University of British Columbia, established by Act of Legislature in 1908, obliged the college to suspend operations in higher education in Victoria. In 1920, as a result of local demands, Victoria College began the second stage of its development, reborn in affiliation with the University of British Columbia. Though still administered by the Victoria School Board, the college was now completely separate from Victoria High School, moving in 1921 into Craigdarroch Castle. Over the next two decades, under Principals E.B. Paul and P.H. Elliott, Victoria College provided courses in first- and second-year arts and sciences. It was also during this period that future author Pierre Berton edited and served as principal cartoonist for the student newsletter, The Microscope. Between 1921 and 1944, enrolment at Victoria College seldom exceeded 250. However, in 1945, 128 servicemen returning from World War II pushed enrolment up to 400, and 600 in 1946.

The final stage was between the years 1945 and 1963. It saw the transition from two-year college to university, under Principals J.M. Ewing and W.H. Hickman. During this period, the college was governed by the Victoria College Council, representative of the parent University of British Columbia, the Greater Victoria School Board, and the provincial Department of Education. In 1946, the college was forced by postwar enrolment to move from Craigdarroch to the Lansdowne campus of the Provincial Normal School, the current location of Camosun College's Lansdowne Campus. The Normal School joined Victoria College in 1956 as its Faculty of Education. Late in this transitional period (through the cooperation of the Department of National Defence and the Hudson's Bay Company) the 284-acre (1.1 km2)—now 385-acre (1.6 km2)—campus at Gordon Head was acquired. In 1961 the college, still in affiliation with UBC, awarded its first bachelor's degrees.

Department of Political Science Chilly Climate Report

On May 11, 1992, the Department of Political Science created the committee to Make the Department More Supportive to Women as a response to concerns regarding the experiences of graduate and undergraduate students. The committee was made up of five female undergraduate students and Dr. Somer Brodribb, an untenured professor working in the department. Later, this committee was unofficially called the "Chilly Climate" or Climate Committee within the department. "Chilly Climate" is a term used by the Project on the Status and Education of Women.

A preliminary report published by the Climate Committee to the Department of Political Science on March 23, 1993, which looked at the experience of both faculty and students at the University of Victoria issued recommendations that, in their eyes, would make the department more hospitable to female students while also highlighting the experiences of female students which the committee found troubling. These recommendations included the establishment of a committee for addressing issues that were raised in the report, the creation of formal policies addressing race and gender discrimination, and workshops for faculty on race and gender issues in the classroom environment. Notably, the preliminary report also highlighted the importance of including classroom content from feminist perspectives and more texts authored by female scholars.

In response to this report, tenured professors of the political science department Robert Bedeski, Colin Bennett, Ron Cheffins, Warren Magusson, Terry Morley, Norman Ruff, Rob Walker, and Jeremy Wilson challenged what they perceived to be slander from Dr. Brodribb, who chaired the committee. They requested that Dr. Brodribb allow an investigation into the allegations of sexist behaviour in the Chilly Climate report. Dr. Bodribb refused, stating that this went against the agreement her committee made with the women interviewed and could expose them to further discrimination. If the evidence was not handed over the tenured professors requested a complete withdrawal of the statements made in the Chilly Climate report and an apology that would be distributed to all those who saw the report. They also mentioned seeking further action if Dr. Brodribb did neither of these things. To review documents related to the report, one can go to the University of Victoria Libraries Special Collections.

A review committee was established by University of Victoria President David Strong, requesting advice from lawyers Beth Bilson and Thomas R. Berger to assist in evaluating the climate of the political science department. They published a report in August 1993, which included recommendations that Strong later endorsed.

Campus and grounds

The campus is situated 6km north-east of downtown Victoria and is spread over 403 acres. UVic also has an offsite study center at the Jeanne S. Simpson Field Studies Resource Center in Lake Cowichan. Despite its name, no part of the university's main campus is located in the City of Victoria proper, instead split between the municipalities of Saanich and Oak Bay. The campus is several hundred feet from the Pacific Ocean at Cadboro Bay. The six-hectare Queenswood campus was acquired from the Sisters of St. Ann and converted into a national laboratory. The Legacy Art Gallery on Yates Street and a proposed redevelopment on Broad Street make up the properties owned by the university in downtown Victoria.

The University of Victoria's campus was designed in part by American architectural firm Wurster, Bernardi & Emmons, which had previously completed major buildings at Stanford University and UC Berkeley. The principles and concept of the original design are still being followed, with the academic portions of the campus located inside the Ring Road, forming a perfect circle 600 m (1,969 ft) in diameter.

The following is a list of prominent buildings on the University of Victoria campus:

Bob Wright Centre – Home to the School of Earth & Ocean Sciences, the Department of Chemistry, and the Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling & Analysis (CCCMA). Also features the Department of Astronomy dome and telescopes, lecture theatres, offices, meeting rooms, labs, and SciCafe dining outlet.

Business and Economics Building – Besides the obvious, the Business and Economics building also houses the offices of senior university administrators and contains a student computing facility.

Centre of Accessible Learning "CAL" – Facilitates academic accommodations for students with accessible needs and extra support with professors, as well as full serve note taking services which is fee based, and a Learning Assistance Program that helps navigate courses and assist with time management and planning for individual needs

Campus Security Services – Security Officers patrol and respond to Campus needs, provide first aid, and maintain a safe campus. The office also contains parking services, emergency planning, and lost & found.

Libraries and museum

The University of Victoria Libraries system is composed of two libraries: the William C. Mearns Centre for Learning - McPherson Library and the Diana M. Priestly Law Library. UVic Libraries has undergone significant growth in recent years thanks to the university's investment in library purchases and research. Amongst the highlights from Special Collections & University Archives are:

Institutional records of the University of Victoria, Victoria College, and the Provincial Normal School, and related organizations

Archives of leading faculty members, Anarchist Studies

Arts and Culture, including artists archives

Environmental Studies, including archives of scientists and regional organizations

Transgender Archives and the Victoria Women's Movement Archives

Legal History, including Indigenous laws

Literature and Literary Criticism, including Modernist British, American and Anglo-Irish literature

Medieval and Early Modern manuscripts and fragments

Military History, including oral histories and BC Political History

Victoria, Vancouver Island and West Coast History

Renovations and construction included new Special Collections & University Archives classrooms, an innovative Learning Commons, the addition of Tek Booths, an expanded student lounge, and the Legacy Maltwood gallery space. The UVic Libraries collection includes over 4 million physical and electronic resources, almost 200,000 journals and 985 databases.

Off-campus facilities

The University of Victoria has acquired a portfolio of properties around Victoria, British Columbia, and across Vancouver Island. These include the Legacy Gallery in downtown Victoria, the University Club, the Inter-urban campus, a former Saanich-based lodge and retreat, the Swans Hotel and Restaurant complex, and the Queenswood Property. The large, partially forested Queenswood property has been proposed as a site of future expansion for the university.

In 2017, the University of Victoria announced plans to develop a downtown campus/accommodation centre in the historic area of Victoria, BC including accommodation for students and other facilities. The new downtown campus will be centered in buildings donated to the university and located around the historic Broad Street area, beside the old Bay Centre. The downtown development has been suggested as a possible future home for UVic's Peter B. Gustavson School of Business.

The UVic endowment (estimated at $374 million) and large private donations have allowed for the university's estate to continue growing and for facilities to be upgraded and expanded on an ongoing basis.

Administration

Below is a list of undergraduate faculties, departments, and schools within the University of Victoria system.

Education

Engineering and Computer Science

Fine Arts, which includes Art History & Visual Studies, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts, and writing.

Health, which includes Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education, Health Information Science, Medical Sciences, Nursing, Public Health & Social Policy, and Social Work

Humanities

Law, which includes the Juris Doctor (J.D.) program and Juris Indigenarum Doctor (JID)

Peter B. Gustavson School of Business, which includes Commerce

Science, which includes the departments of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Ocean Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics, and Physics and Astronomy

Social Sciences, which includes Anthropology, Economics, Environmental Studies, Geography, Indigenous Governance, Political Science, Psychology, Public Administration, and Sociology

UVic also offers a number of interdisciplinary undergraduate programs, including Applied Ethics, Arts of Canada, European Studies, Film Studies, Human Dimensions of Climate Change, Indigenous Studies, Latin American Studies, Social Justice Studies, and Technology and Society.

Peter B. Gustavson School of Business

The Peter B. Gustavson School of Business, formerly the Faculty of Business, was renamed following a donation by local entrepreneur Peter B. Gustavson. The school, which is EQUIS and AACSB accredited, offers a wide range of programs, including BCom, MBA and other business degrees. The program starts with two years of general studies (with six required classes), followed by business-intensive 3rd and 4th years. Three co-op work terms are also required.

Engineering and Computer Science

The Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science admits approximately 400 students into first-year programs each year. Students can specialize in the following disciplines: Biomedical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Software Engineering.

Fine Arts

The Faculty of Fine Arts splits into five different departments: Art History and Visual Studies, the School of Music, Theatre, Visual Arts, and Writing. UVic's Department of Art History and Visual Studies has a long tradition of scholarship in the areas of Islamic art, South and Southeast Asian art, and Native arts of North America. It is one of few schools that has traditionally held two chairs of Islamic art, most recently filled by Anthony Welch and Marcus Milwright. Esi Edugyan, two-time winner of the Giller Prize, is a graduate of the creative writing program

Humanities

The Faculty of Humanities consists of ten departments (English, French, Gender Studies, Germanic & Slavic Studies, Greek & Roman Studies, Hispanic & Italian Studies, History, Linguistics, Pacific & Asian Studies, and Philosophy) and three Programs (Latin American Studies, Medieval Studies, and Religious Studies). The faculty offers certificates, minors, and majors leading to both BA and BSc degrees, as well as MA and PhD degrees. Languages, narratives, philosophies, histories—the Faculty of Humanities brings these all together in a critical context of analysis, interpretation, research, and communication.

Law

The University of Victoria is home to Canada's first and only Indigenous Law degree program along with dedicated research centers for Indigenous and Environmental law. The Faculty of Law was instrumental in the establishment of the Akitsiraq Law School by founding its first class in Iqaluit, Nunavat. Along with The University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University, UVic jointly founded and co-operates TRIUMF, Canada's national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics, which houses the world's largest cyclotron. Altogether UVic operates nine academic faculties and schools including the Faculty of Law and Peter B. Gustavson School of Business. The University of Victoria Faculty of Law features a course at Hakia Beach, BC in association with the Tula Foundation.

School of Earth & Ocean Sciences

UVic hosts Ocean Networks Canada's deep-water seafloor research observatories VENUS and NEPTUNE, the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, and two Environment Canada labs: the Canadian Center for Climate Modelling and Analysis and the Water and Climate Impacts Research Centre. The Ocean Climate Building housed at the Queenswood location is dedicated solely to ocean and climate research. The Institute of Integrated Energy Systems is a leading center for research on sustainable energy solutions and alternative energy sources.

The university was a founding member of the Western Canadian Universities Marine Sciences Society. UVic maintains this field station on the west coast of Vancouver Island, which is jointly run by the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary.

School of Public Administration

The UVic School of Public Administration specializes in its M.P.A. and PhD. programs but also offers a selective admission minors program for political leaders and mid-career civil servants.

Continuing Studies

Continuing education has been an integral part of the University of Victoria since its inception in 1963. Today, the Division of Continuing Studies provides adult and continuing education programming in co-operation with UVic faculties and community partners. The Division of Continuing Studies offers a comprehensive portfolio of programs in a range of academic disciplines, using diploma, certificate and other programming models to serve adult, part-time and internationally dispersed students.

Graduate programs

UVic offers more than 160 graduate programs across the university's faculties and departments.

UVic's Graduate programs range from individual interdisciplinary programs to graduate research programs. The university also offers students specialized degree options and doctoral options.

Academic profile

Admissions

Admission to the University of Victoria is based on a selective academic system and is highly competitive. Each year, the university receives far more applications than there are spaces available, making it one of the most applied to institutions in Canada. Applicants are required to submit applications with their grade points average (GPA) and personal statements in order to be considered for admission. The university may also accept qualified applicants studying under IB programs, AP programs or other international distinctions. Given its endowment, the University of Victoria is able to offer scholarships and financial aid to a large number of students.

International exchanges

The University of Victoria has partnered with a number of research institutions to provide UVic students with the opportunity to gain research experience abroad. International conferences and study abroad opportunities are encouraged for all students, with many students completing a gap year before commencing their studies. Both UVic undergraduate and graduate students may travel abroad with UVic's many partner universities.

The University of Victoria has partnered with institutions around the world, including Sciences Po, University of London, University of Washington, Hong Kong University, Utrecht University, and the National University of Singapore.

Reputation

The University of Victoria has been ranked in a number of post-secondary rankings. In the 2022 Academic Ranking of World Universities rankings, the university ranked 301–400 in the world and 13–17 in Canada. The 2025 QS World University Rankings ranked the university 349th in the world. The 2025 Times Higher Education World University Rankings ranked the university 301–350 in the world, and 12–15 in Canada. In the 2022–23 U.S. News & World Report Best Global University Ranking, the university ranked 327th in the world, and 13th in Canada. The Canadian-based Maclean's magazine ranked the University of Victoria second in their 2023 Canadian comprehensive university category.

Along with academic and research-based rankings, the university has also been ranked by publications that evaluate the employment prospects of its graduates. In the Times Higher Education's 2022 global employability ranking, the university ranked 181st in the world, and eighth in Canada.

Research

In 2018, Research Infosource named the University of Victoria the 19th best research university, with a sponsored research income of $114,922 million, and an average research income of $170,000 per faculty member in 2017.

The university's research performance has been noted in several bibliometric university rankings, which uses citation analysis to evaluate the impact a university has on academic publications. In 2019, the Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers for World Universities ranked the university 374th in the world, and 15th in Canada. The University Ranking by Academic Performance 2018–19 rankings placed the university 370th in the world, and 17th in Canada.

Research facilities operated by the University of Victoria include:

Bamfield Marine Research Station

The university maintains a field station on the west coast of Vancouver Island to conduct marine research. The facility is jointly run by the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary. Undergraduates at the University of Victoria have full access to research and learning at this facility.

Chair in Transgender Studies

The Chair in Transgender Studies is the world's first research chair focused on the study of transgender individuals, issues, and history.

SEOS Oceanic Vessel

In 2011 the university, in collaboration with the provincial government purchased and modified a state of the art ocean vessel capable of launching 'deep sea submersibles' and conducting long-range marine biology research expeditions. The 'floating laboratory' is undergoing upgrades and expansions currently and was scheduled to be in service by late 2011.

VENUS/NEPTUNE

The School of Earth & Ocean Sciences is also home to the VENUS and NEPTUNE research institutes responsible for seismic, oceanic and climate change research.

Culture and student life

Greek life

Several fraternities, sororities, and secret societies exist on the University of Victoria, despite the fact that the Students' Society does not recognize fraternities, sororities, or societies on the basis that they, by definition, seek to exclude portions of the membership. This issue was once a topic of debate in student politics at the University of Victoria in 2010.

Many years ago, University of Victoria students started a fraternity, two sororities and one non-exclusive, non-profit social-service club. Although the fraternities and sororities have no affiliation with the University of Victoria itself, they continue to thrive and have purchased nearby properties. The fraternities and sororities on campus are as follows:

The international fraternity Delta Kappa Epsilon chartered the Beta Tau chapter in 2010, currently estimated at 150 members.

The international sorority Kappa Beta Gamma chartered a chapter in 2011, currently estimated at 100 members.

The local sorority, Alpha Chi Theta, was chartered in 2013 and is currently estimated at over 80 members.

The Omega chapter of Phrateres was installed in 1961.

Radio station (CFUV)

CFUV is a long-standing campus radio station focusing on the campus and the surrounding community. CFUV serves Greater Victoria at 101.9, and via cable on 104.3, Vancouver Island and many areas in the Lower Mainland and northwestern Washington state.

Residence halls

The University of Victoria maintains several residence halls on campus, which were originally based on the Oxbridge Collegiate model of constituent colleges which serve as a smaller, more personal home environment to the students of the wider university. The university no longer operates these halls as individual colleges, but rather as halls of residences (as well as dormitories and apartments) as part of the Residence Life and Education department. Today, all halls of residence are equipped with Common Rooms and high-speed internet for students.

The oldest of these residence halls is Craigdarroch, which features large stone-clad buildings and ivy-covered walkways and courtyards. The modernist Lansdowne Halls feature six buildings connected by a series of bridges, walkways, and tunnels, including the popular 'UVic Underground'. Gordon Head and Ring Road Hall feature rooms and amenities for students, organized around a series of large courtyards.

In the centre of the Residence Village is the Cadboro Commons and a number of restaurants operated by the university, where students may eat and study. A mixture of dorms, single rooms, apartments, cluster studios, and family housing are available but decided by a lottery system. First-year students are guaranteed accommodation in one of the Residence Halls on campus.

Student newspaper

UVic's oldest and most-recognized weekly student newspaper, founded in 1948, is The Martlet. It is distributed all over campus and the Greater Victoria area. The paper is named after the legendary martlet bird, whose inability to land is often seen to symbolize the constant quest for knowledge, learning, and adventure. The Martlet is partly funded by student fees. The Martlet is the only independent campus newspaper at the University of Victoria, and therefore one of the only publications that has the time and resources to fully hold both the University of Victoria and the University of Victoria Students' Society (UVSS) accountable. The Martlet regularly reports on UVic Board of Governors and Senate meetings, as well as University of Victoria Students' Society Board meetings and elections.

University traditions, myths, and lore

The Order of Pi is a charity fundraiser run by the Engineering & Computer Science Students’ Society every March. During the week around March 14th (Pi Day), UVIC students can nominate their friends or professors with silly charges, and then students will dress up in medieval robes and conduct a trial to pie the accused person in the face. The person accused can to get out of the pieing by donating at least $5 more, and then they get to choose someone else in the audience to be pied instead. This usually results in a bidding war where the audience keeps contributing money to see the person pied in the face.

The event was founded in 1993, and has been run every March for over 30 years. The money raised from the charity drive has gone to multiple foundations, including The Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island and The Mustard Seed Food Bank.

Cadborosaurus is a mythical sea serpent in the folklore of regions of the Pacific Coast of North America that is rumored by students to live in Cadboro Bay, adjacent to the University of Victoria. The Cadborosaurus, or 'Caddy' as he is colloquially named, has become a favourite for students.

UVic maintains an extensive series of gardens on campus which serve as a place of respite and peace for students, staff, and members of the public who visit them. The Gardens include some of the largest collections of West-Coast plants and are cared for by the Friends of Finnerty Gardens, a charity which raises funds and helps support the garden's growth. The Finnerty Gardens include ponds, trails, flower gardens, and benches throughout. The University Multi-Faith Centre is nestled near the gardens.

The martlet and its red colour adorn many parts of the University of Victoria, including the crest, coat of arms, and flag representing the university's previous affiliation to McGill University which also uses the martlet. The legendary martlet bird's inability to land is often seen to symbolize the constant quest for knowledge, learning, and adventure. The oldest student newspaper on campus, The Martlet, is named after the bird.

University Club

The University Club of Victoria is a private club located on the campus of University of Victoria. Faculty, Staff, and students are all members of the club and outside organization may also use the dining halls, meeting rooms, and other facilities. Alumni of the university often become members as well. The catering staff host dinners and awards celebrations frequently and the Holiday Roast Pig is a classic event on campus.

The University Club (formerly called the Faculty Club) opened on March 16, 1982. The building, located on campus, is surrounded by high trees in a quiet, wooded area.

University of Victoria Students Society (UVSS)

The University of Victoria Students' Society is the second-largest student society in British Columbia. It represents the UVic undergraduate student body, plans campus-wide events and operates the Student Union Building. The student society's leadership is elected annually by the undergraduate student body during campus-wide elections. As a multimillion-dollar organization, the UVSS is one of the larger student unions in Canada. The UVSS also negotiates with local government and healthcare providers for discounted student transit passes (U-Pass) and health insurance.

In 2014, the UVSS Student Union Building underwent a major overhaul and renovation. Also in 2014, the university expanded and doubled the capacity of the public transit hub on campus adjacent to the Student Union Building.

Graduate Student Society

The GSS offers services and academic support for UVic's 3,000 Graduate students. The society's services include the Grad House Restaurant, health and dental plan, funding for grad student events, and reduced-cost membership in the Victoria Car Share Co-operative.

Athletics

The Victoria Vikes (more commonly known as Vikes Nation) represent the university in a number of competitive sports, including rowing, swimming, rugby, and basketball. The Vikes have especially long ties to competitive rowing having competed for several international titles. Sailing remains an important sport at the university and the UVic Sailing Club (UVSC) maintains training facilities and boats at the nearby Cadboro Bay.

Significant endowments, scholarships, and bursaries allow the university to recruit the best student-athletes, regardless of financial standing. UVic is a participating partner in the Canada West Universities Athletic Association (CWUAA) (the western division of ) and in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Basketball games were traditionally played in the 2,500-seat, McKinnon Gymnasium which was built in 1975.

An athletics facility was completed in 2015, which provides considerably more space and facilities for athletics. The $77 million Centre for Athletes, Recreation, and Special Abilities (CARSA), opened its doors on May 4, 2015.

Sports Hall of Fame

UVic Charter Inductees are:

Lorne Loomer: Rowing Coach – Builder/Administrator

Wally Milligan: Men's Soccer Coach – Builder/Administrator

Gareth Rees: Rugby – Athlete Category

Ken Shields: Basketball – Coach Category

Kathy Shields: Basketball – Coach Category

Johnny Franklin: water polo (All-Star)- Athlete Category (50in'15)

Championships

Men's basketball: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1997

Women's basketball: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1992, 1998, 2000, 2003

Men's cross-country: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2015

Women's cross-country: 1981, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002

Women's field hockey: 1985, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2008, 2018, 2019, 2021

Men's soccer: 1976, 1988, 1997, 2004, 2011

Women's soccer: 2005

Canadian University Championship Titles

Men's rugby: 1998, 1999, 2020

Men's rowing: 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2009, 2010, 2021

Sport clubs and societies

UVic has 25 sport clubs that are administered by Vikes Recreation and run by students.

People

Notable faculty

Some of the university's noted faculty members, past and present, are:

Alan Astbury, physics professor emeritus who played a part in the Nobel-prize winning discovery of a new subatomic particle and winner of the Rutherford Medal and Prize for physics

Taiaiake Alfred, noted Indigenous scholar and founding director of the Indigenous Governance Program at UVic

Mowry Baden, sculptor and winner of the 2008 Governor General's Award in Visual Arts

David D. Balam, astronomer and namesake of asteroid 3749 Balam

Brian Christie, Associate professor of Medicine and Neuroscience and active researcher

Ronald Ian Cheffins, professor emeritus of law and political science, first lawyer to be appointed directly to the British Columbia court of appeal (1985), a Canadian Constitutional expert, advisor to five past British Columbia lieutenant-governors, Vice-chair on the Law Reform Commission of British Columbia (1991), special commissioner appointed by Lieutenant-Governor Clarence Wallace (1953)

Harold Coward, scholar in religious studies and a president of Academy 2 of the Royal Society of Canada

Lorna Crozier, poet and author, recipient of the Order of Canada

Aaron H. Devor, sociologist and sexologist known for transgender research and holder of the university's Research Chair in Transgender Studies, a world's first

Werner Israel, physicist who discovered the phenomenon of mass inflation, and together with Stephen Hawking, coeditor of two important celebratory volumes

Notable alumni

The university has over 88,000 alumni. As of 2020, 7 Guggenheim Fellows, 3 Killiam Prize winners, 14 members of the Order of Canada, 13 Rhodes Scholars and 43 Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada have been affiliated with the university. Listed below are some of UVic's noted alumni:

Kim Adams, sculptor

Bill Burns, conceptual artist

Mark Chao, Chinese/Taiwanese singer, actor and model

Calvin Chen, singer and actor as a member in the popular Taiwanese boy band Fahrenheit

Jim Coleman (1911–2001), sports journalist, writer and press secretary

Kate Craig, visual artist

Esi Edugyan, novelist

Eve Egoyan, pianist and artist

Nathan Fielder, writer and comedian

Leah Gibson, actress

Rick Gibson, sculptor and performance artist

Lori Hallier, actress

Aislinn Hunter, poet and fiction author

Erin Karpluk, actress notable for starring as Erica Strange on CBC's Being Erica.

W. P. Kinsella, novelist well known for his 1982 novel Shoeless Joe which was adapted into the movie Field of Dreams

Eva Markvoort, author who chronicled her life with cystic fibrosis which became the subject of the film 65 Redroses

Asteroid 150145 Uvic

The asteroid 150145 Uvic was named in the university's honour on 1 June 2007. UVic was the first university in BC to have an asteroid named for it.