Centres of Excellence

Coady Institute supports community development leaders in Canada and around the world through education programs and partnerships that are built upon unique, asset-based and citizen-led approaches.  An amalgamation of the rich local engagement of the former StFX Extension Department (established in 1928) and the global reach of Coady International (established in 1959), the Institute equips leaders to address contemporary global challenges and opportunities, and to connect with a network of thousands of graduates and partners working in more than 146 countries.  As a StFX student, you have opportunities to engage in the Institute’s work and share the campus with inspiring people from around the globe—from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe and all places in between.  

The Frank McKenna Centre for Leadership is dedicated to fostering and funding student leadership initiatives, and to providing opportunities and the resources that will allow tomorrow’s leaders to flourish. At the grand opening of the Centre in 2011, Frank McKenna reminded us that, “the Centre isn't bringing leadership to StFX, it’s bringing a Centre to a university that has a long history of leadership.” Since then, the Centre has offered leadership opportunities across all disciplines to the StFX community.  

The Brian Mulroney Institute of Government is one of Canada's preeminent centres for undergraduate education in the areas of government, public policy, and leadership. The Institute contributes innovative research and creative solutions to complex national and global political, economic, and social problems. Its public outreach activities influence and stimulate national and international discourse while its educational programs develop the next generation of Canadian policy leaders.  

The Gerald Schwartz School of Business puts students on the fast track to careers in a wide range of business areas. The School’s experiential, industry-relevant programming is delivered from state-of-the-art facilities by engaged, research-active faculty. With a student-focused, and career-oriented approach, the School offers traditional Bachelor of Business Administration degrees, unique multi-credential undergraduate programs, and post-baccalaureate options for those who already have a degree.  

Thanks to a massive new $37.4 million investment from the Government of Nova Scotia—the largest single investment ever for the university—StFX will soon be home to a new Institute for Innovation in Health. The areas of study for the Institute will be health promotion, mental health, and solutions to the root causes of poor health. For StFX researchers and students, it will be a place on campus to unite and explore ways to improve health and wellness in rural Nova Scotia.