Four outstanding leaders will be conferred with honorary Doctor of Laws degrees, and four graduates will deliver valedictory addresses during four Convocation ceremonies at the University of Prince Edward Island, May 12–15. Each ceremony will begin at 10:00 am in the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre on the UPEI campus. Over 1,300 students comprise the Class of 2026. 

Dear UPEI Community,

On March 31, 2026, the UPEI Board of Governors approved the 2026–2027 Operating Budget, fee schedule, and capital budget. The planning process started in October 2025 and included consultation with University leaders (i.e., Deans and Directors) and account authorities across campus.

Outstanding student-athletes were recognized by the UPEI Department of Athletics and Recreation at its Panther Celebration–Athletics Awards Gala on Friday, March 27, for their excellence in sport, in the classroom, and in the community during the 2025–26 season. The annual event, held at the Rodd Charlottetown Hotel, included student-athletes, coaches, and team staff from both varsity and club sport programs.

The UPEI Faculty of Graduate Studies will host the annual UPEI 3MT™ (3 Minute Thesis) competition on Friday, March 20, 2026, from 4:00–6:00 pm at the Fox & Crow, W.A. Murphy Student Centre.

The 3MT™ competition challenges thesis-based master’s and doctoral students to explain their research project to a non-specialist audience in just three minutes. This year’s competition features competitors from a wide range of disciplines including Education, Nursing, Science, Sustainable Design Engineering, and Veterinary Medicine.

Abby Chapman, a fourth-year UPEI Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering (FSDE) student, recently received an Optica Women Scholar 2026 award. This international award is given to 20 women students, based on merit, to empower the next generation of women leaders in optics and photonics. In addition to grant funding, scholars gain access to a global network of mentors and supporting companies.

The University of Prince Edward Island has taken another step forward on its journey of reconciliation by creating a new undergraduate major in Indigenous Studies.

The University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) is proud to announce a major gift of $1 million from the Hewitt Foundation in support of the University’s Faculty of Medicine. 

This gift will help advance key priorities within UPEI’s Faculty of Medicine, including enhancing learner experiences, supporting innovative teaching and simulation-based education, and strengthening community-based medical training opportunities on Prince Edward Island. 

The following message and response was also emailed to faculty, staff, and students on January 5, 2026. 

Message from Chair of the UPEI Board of Governors: UPEI Action Plan and Reconciliation Update

As we begin the new year, I’m writing to share an update and a brief reflection about our reconciliation work with Dr. Wendy Carroll and Ms. Erin Casey, while also looking ahead to the year before us.

The following message and video was also distributed to faculty, staff, and students on December 16, 2025.

Dear UPEI Community,

We are coming to the end of 2025—filled with as much excitement and hope as when we entered it!

The University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) marked the official opening today of its new Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Centre, a leading-edge facility designed to support interprofessional education and collaboration across multiple health disciplines.