The University of Victoria (Commonly referred to as uVictoria or UVic) is the second oldest public research university in British Columbia. It is a research intensive university located in Greater Victoria, British Columbia, Canada (northeast of Victoria) with an enrollment figure of more than 20,000 students. The campus is known for its innovative architecture, beautiful gardens and mild climate. It attracts many students in part because of its size, its picturesque location, and its Cooperative Education, Earth & Ocean Sciences, Engineering, and Law programs. The university is also the province's second largest research institution and the nation's lead institution in the VENUS and NEPTUNE projects. The university' is academically known for its research contributions through its School of Earth and Ocean Sciences which has helped predict and alleviate the impact of recent earthquakes around the world. The University of Victoria Law Programs has a long history of protecting human rights, the environmental and worked closely on a large number of precedent setting environmental, ecological and First Nations cases across Canada, and the globe.