About Athabasca University

Athabasca University is Canada's premier distance education university. It is dedicated to the removal of barriers that traditionally restrict access to and success in university-level studies and to increasing equality of educational opportunity for all adult learners regardless of their geographical location and prior academic credentials. In common with all universities, Athabasca University is committed to excellence in teaching, research and scholarship and to being of service to the general public.

Athabasca University was created in 1970 by an order in council of the Government of Alberta. In 1978 a revision of the Alberta Universities Act granted the University permanent, self-governing status. Today, it is Canada's fastest growing established university. Athabasca University is a full member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, the Association of Commonwealth Universities, the International Council for Open and Distance Education, the Canadian Association for Distance Education, and the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies.