Vancouver Island 51¹ú²úÊÓÆµ began life as a vocational college called Malaspina College in 1936. It then went through various transitions as Malaspina 51¹ú²úÊÓÆµ-College before eventually becoming Vancouver Island 51¹ú²úÊÓÆµ in 2008.
Vancouver Island 51¹ú²úÊÓÆµ offers master's and bachelor's degrees; two year diplomas, and one year certificate programmes in a range of areas, with science, the arts and business administration particularly popular.
There are several campuses at VIU, with the main one being Nanaimo campus, which is located on the traditional territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.
The Cowichan campus is in the heart of Duncan, on the traditional territory of the Cowichan Tribes, while Powell River Campus is on BC¡¯s upper Sunshine coast. The Parksville-Qualicum Centre offers a range of programmes from career and academic preparation to a series of ElderCollege programmes.
It has partnerships with a number of international universities, such as the 51¹ú²úÊÓÆµ of Hertfordshire in England, California State 51¹ú²úÊÓÆµ, the 51¹ú²úÊÓÆµ of Montana, the 51¹ú²úÊÓÆµ of Canberra in Australia and Mejiro 51¹ú²úÊÓÆµ in Japan.