News
The University of Toronto ranked first in Canada – and among the top 30 universities worldwide – in all 11 major subject areas tracked in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2026. U of T was one of just six institutions in the world – and the only Canadian university – to achieve a top 30 spot in all of Times Higher Education’s broad subject areas, which range from arts and humanities to engineering and life sciences.
Psychologists at the University of Toronto, including UC Cognitive Science Program Director Dirk Bernhardt-Walther,
have discovered a link between our aesthetic preferences and the amount of energy used by our brains to process what we see.
“Usually, people think we like specific images because of their cultural meanings, or specific signals we receive from them,” says Yikai Tang, “in this research, we look at the more objective measure of energy consumption to really quantify the processing cost of what we see and find pleasurable.”
have discovered a link between our aesthetic preferences and the amount of energy used by our brains to process what we see.
“Usually, people think we like specific images because of their cultural meanings, or specific signals we receive from them,” says Yikai Tang, “in this research, we look at the more objective measure of energy consumption to really quantify the processing cost of what we see and find pleasurable.”
The 2025-26 F. E. L. Priestley Memorial Lectures in the History of Ideas, “Tomorrow is a Dream: Nisga'a Futurity and Anti-Colonial Poetics,” presented by Jordan Abel, are now available to view below and on our YouTube channel.
As a new University College student adjusting to university life, Gaby Snache was determined to find community, particularly among her Indigenous peers.
“Growing up on reserve, I always had access to culture and community,” says Snache, who is of Anishinaabe and Filipino descent and a member of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation. “I was looking for that sense of connection at U of T and specifically to find other Indigenous students who shared a similar experience.”
Dear Public Health and Health Studies Students,
Welcome to a new semester! My name is Colleen Dockstader and I’m delighted to return as Director of the Undergraduate Program in Public Health/Health Studies after a year away on sabbatical, and I’m excited to reconnect with both new and returning students.
University College faculty member and Richard Charles Lee Chair in Chinese Canadian Studies, Larissa Lai, was named a Chancellor Jackman 12–month Faculty Research Fellow in the Humanities for the 2026-27 academic year.
University College and the Department of Mathematics community mourns the passing of Professor Joe Repka. He had been on medical leave since September and passed away on November 21. His loss is deeply felt across our college and the broader academic community.
Hargun Rekhi’s academic journey wasn’t always easy. Initially, she wanted to major in psychology, but life had other plans. Reiki, who graduated last June with a major in Environmental Science and minors in Psychology and Environment and Behaviour, became one of U of T's key environmental changemakers. Now, she's pursuing a master's degree in environmental studies at York University with a focus on Indigenous sovereignty and community consultation.
