The University of Waterloo (UW) is a public research university located in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Waterloo is about 94 km (58 mi) west-southwest of Toronto, the largest city in Canada.

UW was established in 1957 as a co-operative education program, and has become one of the top universities in Canada for innovation, entrepreneurship, and engineering.

Waterloo has a rich history, dating back to the early 1800s when it was settled by Mennonites from Pennsylvania. The city was named after the Battle of Waterloo, where Napoleon was defeated in 1815.