ACURA is a liaison between Canadian member universities and international partners designed to help coordinate large-scale national initiatives of its member institutions, and advocate for the priorities in the Canadian Astronomical Society’s Long Range Plan.

Members of ACURA are degree granting institutions across Canada.

ACURA Response to UN Petition: ACURA wishes to openly share our response to the petition submitted on July 14, 2023, to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination regarding the Government of Canada and the Canadian Astronomical community’s involvement in the Thirty Meter Telescope. “As excited as we are about the scientific potential and engineering excellence of the TMT, ACURA believes that astronomical discovery cannot come at the expense of human rights for the people on whose lands we operate our telescopes”. ACURA believes that the decision on the TMT rests with the Hawaiian and Native Hawaiian communities, and supports the conversations currently occurring in Hawai’i.