Rendering of a multi-tiered, modern-looking glass, wood and stone building surrounded by planters, trees and people walking by.

*Artist's concept only

Introducing Mount Royal University’s proposed

Health Science Innovation Centre

Powering a career-ready health and science workforce for Alberta

For more than 100 years, Mount Royal University has evolved to meet the needs of our communities.

Now, we’re preparing for what comes next.

The demands on Alberta’s health system are changing

Icon of an upward trending arrow and an increasing bar graph.

Alberta’s population is projected to grow from five million in 2025 to 6.9 million by 2051. ¹

By 2051, 1 in 5 Albertans will be 65 and older. ¹

Rural and remote Alberta communities face ongoing health worker staffing shortages.

¹Alberta Government, Population Projections: Alberta and local geographic areas, 2025-2051, July 2025.

A facility for the future. The talent pipeline Alberta needs.

The Health Science Innovation Centre is a state-of-the-art hub where the next generation of health and science professionals will engage with practice-based learning, multidisciplinary research and leading-edge technology.

Today, 42 per cent of Mount Royal’s science and health graduates work for Alberta Health Services.

But qualified applicants are turned away for in-demand health and science programs due to limited capacity.

To meet growing community needs, by 2040, the proposed centre will allow Mount Royal to:

Accept, train and graduate 4,000 frontline-ready health and science professionals.

Potentially house the first school of optometry in Western Canada.

Bring together health, life sciences and data analytics to explore the intersections of AI, informatics, data and primary care innovation.

Our vision

An inclusive, future-ready environment, the Health Science Innovation Centre will unite health, science and technology to advance learning, research and community wellbeing within a growing post-secondary context.

From the beginning, Mount Royal has responded to community needs. The Health Science Innovation Centre will train critically needed health workforce professionals and scientists, breaking down silos and nurturing collaboration between the frontline workers, data analysts and researchers.”

— Dr. Tim Rahilly, President and Vice-Chancellor

Purpose built for career-readiness, collaboration and innovation

Rendering of a concept for the Health Science Innovation Centre at night. A many-tiered glass, stone and wood building surrounded by planters.

*Artist's concept only

The Health Science Innovation Centre expands on Mount Royal’s reputation for student-first education with a strong emphasis on experiential and work-integrated learning.

It’s a place where hands-on health workforce training, interdisciplinary collaboration, research, data analysis and innovation collide.

The guiding principles

Student-centred

Spaces that prioritize student learning, wellbeing and career readiness.

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Collaborative and integrated

Interdisciplinary teaching, research and innovation.

Excellence in teaching and research

State-of-the-art facilities that enable high-quality teaching and research.

Community-engaged

Community connections through public-facing clinics, applied learning and partnerships.

Innovative spaces

Adaptable environments that accommodate the changing needs of health and science.

Practice-integrated learning

Academic excellence and professional practice combined through experiential learning and clinical practicums.

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Inclusive and accessible

Thoughtfully designed spaces promote equity, wellness and belonging.

Sustainable and responsible

Practical design that supports long-term institutional and environmental value.

The proposed centre will feature:

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Experiential immersion labs for interdisciplinary simulations and training

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Communication and group facilitation labs

Instructional labs and classrooms

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Research labs and infrastructure

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Computational and data labs

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Community-facing and professional learning spaces

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Interprofessional education spaces

Public spaces and amenities

Health and science education that supports Alberta’s communities

The Health Science Innovation Centre will bring together Mount Royal’s leading health and science programs, whose graduates and research strengthen communities across Alberta.

Two Mount Royal University midwifery students administering an ultrasound on a pregnant medical mannequin in the Health Simulation Learning Centre.

Nursing and midwifery

The School of Nursing and Midwifery is a leader in innovative teaching strategies and outstanding practical instruction.
Critically needed nurses and midwives train to work in Alberta’s hospitals, communities and health-care system.
Mount Royal is home to Alberta’s only undergraduate midwifery program.

An optomestrist and assistant conducting an eye exam on a patient.

Potential school of optometry

Today, approximately 50 per cent of Alberta’s optometrists train in the United States.
The school would address the province’s increasing need for skilled optometrists to support a growing and aging population with higher rates of eye conditions like cataracts, macular degeneration and glaucoma. ²
More Alberta-based graduates will improve access to care, particularly in underserved and rural regions, through a “train where you practise” model.

² Canadian Association of Optometrists

A group of people sit in a circle during group therapy.

Social work

Students develop expertise in assessment, crisis intervention, counselling, system navigation and advocacy.
Graduates go on to collaborate on care in interprofessional settings like hospitals, communities and schools, where they reduce risk and support long-term community stability.
Mount Royal’s leading high-fidelity simulation gives students the opportunity to practise critical skills like risk assessment, family mediation and trauma-informed care.

Science and technology

Students train in life sciences, computer and data sciences, and computer information systems.
Courses and research bridge industries such as health care and technology, and build the future with software and AI.
Data scientists respond to the growing need to turn data into insights that shape decisions across industries.

A senior patient holds a medicine ball while receiving guidance from a professional at the Mount Royal University recreation centre.

Physical literacy

A powerful, holistic approach to health and wellness that inspires lifelong movement and well-being across the lifespan.
Students build expertise in kinesiology, coaching education and wellness while learning to empower individuals and communities through active living.
Faculty research in biomechanics and physiology will contribute to improved injury treatment and prevention, healthier aging and mobility.

Mount Royal University is ready for the future

The health landscape is changing fast. With the rise of AI, consumer-driven health care and expanded access to data, health professionals will need real-world community experience to meet people where they are.

The Health Science Innovation Centre is built for this future. It expands on what Mount Royal is known for: exceptional programs, work-integrated learning and career-ready graduates.

As demand for primary care grows, help build a future where every Albertan can access the care they need, when they need it.

To learn more, contact:

Melanie Rogers
Vice-President, Community Engagement
403.440.7773
mrogers@mtroyal.ca

Grow with us.

A pattern of blue chevrons pointing in many directions fading into white.