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The ÐãÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ officially marked the opening of its new Health Sciences Building today at a special event attended by donors, government partners, board of governors, students, staff, faculty, and alumni.

The 39,000-square-foot building is home to the School of Nursing and the Department of Applied Human Sciences (formerly Family and Nutritional Sciences) and features a mix of classrooms, offices, and laboratories-increasing the capacity for research.

The formal part of the celebration, emceed by Dean of Nursing Kim Critchley and Dean of Science Christian Lacroix, also featured students Trevor Cudmore (Nursing) and Sarah Nabuurs (Foods and Nutrition) who both commented on how the modern facility will help students develop into the best health and wellness professionals they can be.

Board of Governors Chair Fred Hyndman acknowledged the many alumni in the audience, remarking, 'There is a long tradition in the province for nursing and applied human sciences education. With this new facility, current and future students will carry on this tradition, and access ever-changing opportunities.'

The province of Prince Edward Island funded two-thirds of the $10.8 million project, investing a total of $7.2 million, while ÐãÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ is raising one-third of the funds, or $3.6 million. The Honourable Allen Roach, Minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning, said, 'I want to congratulate ÐãÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ on the opening of this new building and on the great tradition of health training at ÐãÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ and its predecessor institutions for decades. The building we see around us will serve the university and the community for years to come by offering a high level of health-care training and research, making it easier for Islanders to pursue better career opportunities by furthering their post-secondary education.'

ÐãÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ President and Vice-Chancellor, Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, believes that the new building will be an excellent facility for students to study, learn, and practice hands-on knowledge and thanked the government of PEI and many donors who have made it possible. 'As a result of the support from all sectors, this state-of-the-art facility will provide our students with clinical rooms and advanced equipment, and the opportunity to collaborate and conduct research with the latest health technologies. This facility not only betters the University, but will help advance the health and prosperity of our community, on the Island and beyond.'

Following the official program, students from the nursing and applied human sciences programs offered tours to guests.

About ÐãÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ's Health Sciences Building