Memorial University of Newfoundland

What Memorial University of Newfoundland does

Memorial University of Newfoundland is a public, nonprofit comprehensive university and the only university in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Founded in 1925 as a living memorial to Newfoundlanders who lost their lives in the First World War and renamed in 1952 following Confederation, Memorial now serves nearly 18,000 students from more than 110 countries across six campuses: St. John's (headquarters), Grenfell Campus in Corner Brook, the Marine Institute, the Labrador Campus, and the Harlow Campus in the United Kingdom. Academic offerings are organized into seven faculties (Business Administration, Education, Engineering and Applied Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, Medicine, Nursing, and Science), specialized schools (Pharmacy, Graduate Studies, Arctic and Subarctic Studies, Music, Human Kinetics and Recreation, Social Work), and the Marine Institute's three schools of Fisheries, Maritime Studies, and Ocean Technology.

Memorial's underlying technology stack is a conventional enterprise university ecosystem rather than a proprietary platform: a Brightspace (D2L) online learning environment at online.mun.ca, a my.mun.ca self-service portal for students and employees, Ex Libris (Primo, Alma, Leganto) library systems spanning nine campus library branches, the Centre for Newfoundland Studies, and a Digital Archives Initiative preserving historical calendars and primary sources. Notable research-driven digital products include the iCANSleep smartphone application, a cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia intervention in clinical trial for cancer survivors. Memorial also publishes a portfolio of academic journals including the Journal of Ocean Technology, Newfoundland and Labrador Studies, the International Journal of Maritime History, and Newfoundland Quarterly.

The university is funded through a mix of tuition and student fees from nearly 18,000 students, recurring provincial government grants from Newfoundland and Labrador (which grew approximately 5% year-over-year for 2026), competitive research grants from agencies such as the Canadian Cancer Society, multi-year industry-sponsored research partnerships (including $1.3M from Vinland Lithium Inc. over four years and $1M from Triple Point Resources Ltd.), and philanthropic and association grants such as $120,000 over three years from the International Grenfell Association. Customer segments are diversified across undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students, industry and government research sponsors, Indigenous communities, and public library and archive users. Leadership comprises President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Janet Morrison, Provost Dr. Jennifer Lokash, Interim Vice-President (Research and Innovation) Dr. Rod Russell, Vice-President (Finance and Administration) Alison Horton, Chancellor Earl Ludlow, and Chair of the Board of Regents Justin Ladha. Memorial faces material deferred maintenance exceeding $500M and recently had federal Canada Research Chair grants withheld over equity-target compliance gaps.

Name

Memorial University of Newfoundland

Legal name

Memorial University of Newfoundland

Website

https://mun.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Memorial University of Newfoundland is the only public university in Newfoundland and Labrador, serving nearly 18,000 students from 110+ countries across six campuses in Canada and the United Kingdom with faculties, specialized schools, and the Marine Institute, funded via tuition, provincial grants, and industry research partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Research Universities with Major Extension & Outreach Missions (EDAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• University degree programs
• Academic research services
• Graduate and undergraduate studies
• Library and archive services

Headquarters

HQ city

St. John's

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and student fees: Recurring per-student tuition and ancillary fees charged to nearly 18,000 undergraduate, graduate, and continuing students across Memorial's campuses each academic term.
2. Provincial government grants: Operating and post-secondary funding provided by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, including a referenced year-over-year increase of approximately 5% in post-secondary funding, supporting the university's teaching and research mission.
3. Research grants and sponsored research: Competitive research funding from external agencies such as the Canadian Cancer Society and other granting bodies that finance clinical trials (e.g., iCANSleep) and faculty research programs.
4. Industry-sponsored research partnerships: Multi-year funded research collaborations with industry partners such as Vinland Lithium Inc ($1.3M, four years) and Triple Point Resources Ltd. ($1M), where corporate sponsors pay for joint research output.
5. Philanthropic and association grants: Restricted grants and donations from associations and donors such as the International Grenfell Association (e.g., $120,000 over three years to the School of Pharmacy) and alumni giving.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Memorial University of Newfoundland is a public comprehensive university that delivers certificate, diploma, undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate programs across six campuses and online to nearly 18,000 students from more than 110 countries. The university also operates applied research programs (e.g., iCANSleep clinical trial, lithium pegmatites research), the Memorial University Libraries system, postdoctoral fellowship programs, and a portfolio of academic publications, all funded through tuition, provincial government grants, research grants, and industry-sponsored research partnerships.

Product overview

Memorial University of Newfoundland is a public comprehensive university offering certificate, diploma, undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate programs across six campuses and online, serving nearly 18,000 students from more than 110 countries. The university's offerings are organized into distinct academic units: faculties including the Faculty of Business Administration, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Nursing, and Faculty of Science; specialized schools including the School of Pharmacy, School of Graduate Studies, School of Music, School of Human Kinetics and Recreation, School of Social Work, and School of Arctic and Subarctic Studies; the Marine Institute with its schools of Fisheries, Maritime Studies, and Ocean Technology; and the Grenfell Campus and Labrador Campus. Beyond academic programs, Memorial University operates the Memorial University Libraries system serving multiple campus branches, hosts the Postdoctoral Fellows Program, publishes several academic journals through Memorial University Publications, and has developed specific named digital products such as the iCANSleep smartphone application (a CBT-I mobile app for cancer survivors currently in clinical trial). The university delivers online learning via the Brightspace (D2L) learning management system and uses Ex Libris systems (Primo OneSearch, Alma, Leganto) for library services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Marine Institute: Memorial University's specialized marine and maritime education and training institute, with three schools: School of Fisheries, School of Maritime Studies, and School of Ocean Technology.
• Grenfell Campus

Products and services

• Faculty of Business Administration
• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
• Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Faculty of Medicine
• Faculty of Nursing
• Faculty of Science
• Marine Institute
• School of Pharmacy
• School of Graduate Studies
• Grenfell Campus
• School of Arctic and Subarctic Studies
• Memorial University Libraries
• Postdoctoral Fellows Program
• iCANSleep Smartphone App
• Memorial University Publications

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 18,000 students enrolled from 110+ countries
• +4 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Vinland Lithium IncflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerVinland Lithium Inc. has committed $1.3 million over four years to a research partnership with Memorial University. The collaboration is positioned as a multi-year, applied research engagement supporting Memorial's mineral-resources research agenda and is referenced alongside related work with St. Francis Xavier University and the Newfoundland Geological Survey on lithium pegmatites.
• St. Francis Xavier UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. Francis Xavier University is referenced as a partner alongside Memorial University on research into lithium pegmatites, contributing inter-institutional academic capacity to the broader lithium research program that also involves Vinland Lithium Inc. and the Newfoundland Geological Survey.
• Newfoundland Geological SurveycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Newfoundland Geological Survey is a partner with Memorial University on lithium pegmatites research, contributing geological expertise alongside Vinland Lithium Inc. and St. Francis Xavier University.
• Triple Point Resources Ltd.flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerTriple Point Resources Ltd. has entered into a $1 million research collaboration with Memorial University, supported by additional partners including the University of Calgary and Genome Atlantic. The collaboration is structured as a multi-stakeholder applied research engagement.
• University of CalgarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Calgary is referenced as a research collaboration partner in the Triple Point Resources Ltd.-backed research program with Memorial University, contributing additional academic capacity.
• Genome AtlanticcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGenome Atlantic is referenced as a partner supporting the research collaboration between Memorial University, Triple Point Resources Ltd., and the University of Calgary, adding genomics-related capability to the program.
• Panjab UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPanjab University is collaborating with Memorial University on forensic research, contributing an international academic partnership to Memorial's forensic science program alongside the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences.
• Birbal Sahni Institute of PalaeosciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences is collaborating with Memorial University on forensic research alongside Panjab University, supporting Memorial's international forensic science research portfolio.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• St. Francis Xavier University: Atlantic Canadian undergraduate-focused university already collaborating with Memorial on the Vinland Lithium lithium-pegmatites research program. Directly comparable as a regional research partner with overlapping applied-research themes.
• Acadia University: Nova Scotia-based primarily undergraduate university with applied research and a similar Atlantic regional mandate. Comparable as a smaller comprehensive Canadian public university with similar funding mix.
• University of Prince Edward Island: Small Atlantic Canadian public university with veterinary medicine, nursing, and applied science programs supported by provincial grants. Comparable as a small-region flagship public university with similar funding-model constraints.
• Dalhousie University: Atlantic Canada's largest research-intensive university, also serving Nova Scotia with a similar comprehensive portfolio (medicine, engineering, ocean sciences) and a comparable mix of provincial funding, research grants, and industry partnerships. Most direct peer given shared Atlantic Canada regional scope.
• University of New Brunswick: Another Atlantic Canadian comprehensive public university with engineering, nursing, and applied research programs funded through provincial grants. Comparable in scale, mandate, and demographic exposure to Memorial.
• Saint Mary's University: Atlantic Canada-based public university with a business school focus and significant international student enrollment. Comparable in scale, Atlantic regional positioning, and tuition-dependent revenue model.

Regional players

• Cape Breton University: Atlantic Canadian primarily undergraduate university serving Cape Breton with a similar small-region mandate and demographic headwinds. Comparable as a small Atlantic Canada public university facing similar regional constraints.
• Thompson Rivers University: Western Canadian public university serving a similarly geographically dispersed region (BC interior) with multiple campuses and significant international student recruitment. Comparable as a multi-campus regional public university with similar scale and mandate.

Broad incumbents

• University of Calgary: Large Canadian research university collaborating with Memorial on the Triple Point Resources salt-cavern storage program. Comparable as a much larger incumbent with overlapping energy and applied-research themes.
• University of Victoria: Mid-sized Canadian research university with strong ocean sciences and co-op programs, similar to Memorial's Marine Institute. Comparable as a public comprehensive university with applied-ocean research strengths.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MemorialUVideos
• Facebookfacebook.com/MemorialUniversity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/memorial-university-of-newfoundland
• Instagraminstagram.com/memorialuniversity
• TikToktiktok.com/@memorialu?lang=en
• Xx.com/mun_science

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments4 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Memorial University of Newfoundland