The University of Prince Edward Island continues to rise in the Maclean's Magazine annual university rankings, placing fourth in the country out of 19 undergraduate universities.

With an increase of four positions over last year's eighth-place ranking, Maclean's said UPEI had the biggest change thanks in large part to a strong showing in student awards.

UPEI tied with Alberta's University of Lethbridge.

The only other universities in the Atlantic region to rank higher were Mount Allison in Sackville, N.B., which placed first for the fifth year in a row, marking its 15th time in the top spot, and Acadia, located in Wolfville, N.S., which was second.

The survey asks CEOs, experts, educators, and community leaders from across the nation for their views on quality, innovation, and leadership at Canadian universities.

The Maclean's rankings issue will be on the stands Oct. 27.