Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada donates $2.1M to University of Waterloo
They money will support engineering education with a focus on automotive and additive
The University of Waterloo in Canada has received a $2.1 million donation from Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (TMMC)—the largest single donation by the company to any Canadian higher education institution. The investment will support a partnership between TMMC and the university which aims to advance engineering education.
As part of the partnership, TMMC and the University of Waterloo will introduce an undergraduate engineering challenge—the Toyota Engineering Innovation Challenge. The challenge will consist of a half-day takeover of the Waterloo Engineering Ideas Clinic by undergraduate students.
Part of the partnership between the two parties will focus on additive manufacturing. In fact, a wing in the university’s new Engineering 7 building dedicated to student and faculty AM research will be renamed the Toyota Additive Manufacturing Wing in light of the significant investment. As one would expect, the funding will also support research related to the automotive sector—where AM is becoming increasingly vital.
“The University of Waterloo is proud to have Toyota as a key partner in our automotive research, as well as a long-term employer in our co-operative education program,” said Feridun Hamdullahpur, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Waterloo. “It is investments like these that have allowed our institution to undertake more automotive research than any other university in Canada.”
“Our partnership with Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada allows our students and researchers to tackle difficult engineering and business challenges facing the automotive industry and come up with truly new and sustainable solutions that will strengthen the competitiveness of the Canadian sector,” added Pearl Sullivan, Dean of Waterloo Engineering. “Today’s gift of $2.1 million will go a long way in ensuring that we can offer them the resources and opportunities they need to make a difference.”
As part of the collaboration, the University of Waterloo has also renamed its engineering Outreach space the Toyota Outreach Space, and TMMC will also become a partner in the Engineering Ideas Clinic at the founder level. The automotive company will also be the title sponsor of the university’s annual AutoTech Symposium for the next five years.
