An expanded Surrey campus for Simon Fraser University (SFU) and a thriving, mixed-use city centre are two of the main goals that SFU and the City of Surrey will pursue under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

The MOU was signed April 14 by Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts and SFU President Michael Stevenson and announced Monday. It calls for the university and the city to work together to communicate to the province the importance of additional capacity at the SFU Surrey campus, especially for science and health sciences programs. It also commits the two partners to explore ways to attract new businesses to Surrey in general and Surrey City Centre in particular.

“Having a research university of the magnitude of SFU is an important factor in the on-going growth and development of the Surrey City Centre area,” said Mayor Watts. “This MOU provides a more formal structure and an acknowledgement of our close ties with SFU.”

“Demand from high school students for admittance to SFU Surrey in programs such as science is far outstripping the capacity of the campus, and currently the percentage of degree holders in the region is lower than other Lower Mainland cities,” said Dr. Stevenson. “An expanded SFU Surrey campus is vital if we are to provide students in this area with the opportunities they need.”