OCAD University
Founded 1876 in Toronto, OCAD University is Canada's publicly funded art and design university. It delivers undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs in art, design, digital media, and strategic innovation, supported by in-house research centres, a streaming platform, and industry partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1876
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What OCAD University does
OCAD University is a public post-secondary institution headquartered at 100 McCaul Street in downtown Toronto, Canada, founded in 1876 as the Ontario School of Art and granted university status in 2002. It operates under Ontario provincial legislation as a publicly funded but institutionally autonomous university focused exclusively on art, design, and digital media education, organized across the Faculty of Art, Faculty of Design, and Faculty of Arts & Science.
The institution delivers undergraduate degrees, graduate programs (including Contemporary Art Design and New Media Art Histories, Digital Futures, Inclusive Design, Design for Health, and Strategic Foresight and Innovation), and continuing-studies certificates. Its technology stack centers on the myOCADU student information portal (extended to iOS and Android mobile applications in 2026), the OCAD U LiVE on-demand streaming platform and production house, the Open Research Repository for academic outputs, and dedicated research platforms for the Inclusive Design Research Institute, Cultural Policy Hub, and Global Centre for Climate Action. Distribution includes on-campus delivery at the Toronto campus, international exchange and study-abroad channels (Global Experience Project and partner institutions), and a self-serve continuing-studies portal.
OCAD University's revenue model is built on tuition fees (which vary by program and by domestic versus international student status), supplementary student fees including a laptop program fee, provincial government operating grants, and ancillary income from the OCAD U CO futures-design consulting service, Onsite Gallery programming, and research grants routed through its research subsidiaries. Primary customer segments are undergraduate and graduate students, with secondary segments including international, Indigenous, and continuing-education learners.
OCAD University firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- OCAD University
- Legal name
- OCAD University
- Website
- https://ocad.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1876
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Founded 1876 in Toronto, OCAD University is Canada's publicly funded art and design university. It delivers undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs in art, design, digital media, and strategic innovation, supported by in-house research centres, a streaming platform, and industry partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
OCAD University industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education / Art and Design
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Fine Arts Schools (61161)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Design Colleges (Graphic, Industrial, UX/UI, Interior) (EDAHAJAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA), Online Nonprofit Universities (EDAHALAK), Open Courseware & Course Modules (OCW) (EDAGAJAB), Open Educational Resources (OER) & Open Access Academic Publishing (MPAJABAG)
Keywords
Where OCAD University is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
OCAD University business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
OCAD University product offering
Product offeringCore offering
OCAD University is a publicly funded post-secondary institution that delivers undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs across art, design, digital media, and strategic innovation. It operates as Canada's dedicated art and design university, awarding degrees through faculties of Art, Design, and Arts & Science, while supplementing core teaching with research institutes, career services, public galleries, and a futures-design consulting practice.
Product overview
OCAD University is Canada's top art and design university offering a multi-tiered portfolio of educational programs and institutional services. The core educational offerings include undergraduate and graduate degree programs across art, design, and digital media disciplines, organized under the Faculty of Art, Faculty of Design, and Faculty of Arts & Science. Supporting student success, the university operates the RBC Centre for Emerging Artists and Designers (CEAD) for career services, myOCADU as the student portal, and OCAD U LiVE as a media production and streaming platform. Research initiatives are supported through the Open Research Repository, Inclusive Design Research Institute (IDRI), Global Centre for Climate Action (GCCA), and Cultural Policy Hub. The institution also operates professional galleries including Onsite Gallery and maintains OCAD U CO as a consulting offshoot for futures design services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Undergraduate Degree Programs
Quantifiable outcome
- Convocation 2026 celebrates more than 1,000 graduands
Companies that use OCAD University
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
OCAD University technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
OCAD University partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Gwangju BiennaleflagshipOCAD University represents Canada at Gwangju Biennale 2026, one of the world's most important contemporary art exhibitions. Presenting a Kanien'kehá:ka-led exhibition at the Canada Pavilion.
- Global Experience Project PartnerscoreInternational exchange and mobility partnerships facilitating student and faculty exchanges between OCAD U and partner institutions globally. Includes GEP 2017, GEP 2018, and GEP 2023/24 cohorts.
- Exchange PartnerscoreInternational partner institutions for student and faculty exchange programs. Listed under Mobility/Exchange section of the university.
- Faculty of Design Industry PartnerscoreIndustry partnerships within the Faculty of Design providing students with experiential learning opportunities, design projects, and career connections.
- Study Abroad PartnersminorInternational study abroad partnerships enabling students to spend terms at partner institutions globally.
- IArts ResidencyminorAcademic partnership for artist residencies providing students with immersive creative experiences.
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
OCAD University competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
OCAD University social profiles
Digital presenceOCAD University financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
OCAD University leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
OCAD University subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
OCAD University funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
OCAD University M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about OCAD University
What does OCAD University do?
OCAD University is a publicly funded post-secondary institution that delivers undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs across art, design, digital media, and strategic innovation. It operates as Canada's dedicated art and design university, awarding degrees through faculties of Art, Design, and Arts & Science, while supplementing core teaching with research institutes, career services, public galleries, and a futures-design consulting practice.
Is OCAD University a public or private company?
OCAD University is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was OCAD University founded?
OCAD University was founded in 1876.
Where is OCAD University based?
OCAD University is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
Does OCAD University have an API?
No public API is recorded for OCAD University.
What industry is OCAD University in?
OCAD University's product category is Higher Education / Art and Design. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAJAB, Design Colleges (Graphic, Industrial, UX/UI, Interior), with a secondary code of EDAAAEAA, University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs. Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.