The Centre for Gifted Education was established in 1988 with a mandate and funding from the Department of Advanced Education of the Province of Alberta. The Centre is housed in the Faculty of Education at the University of Calgary and is one of only two such centres in Canada.

The mission of the Centre is to meet the intellectual and socio-emotional needs of gifted individuals through research, professional development, community liaison, and instructional programs.

Working towards this vision: the knowledge generated through the Centre's research is used to maximize the potential of students who are gifted and talented; educators and other professionals benefit from the development and delivery of graduate programs, preservice activites, inservice activities, and consultation provided by the Centre to enhance their professional practice; gifted students and their parents benefit from direct services offered by the Centre; and The Centre for Gifted Education plays a facilitative role in providing and sharing expertise throughout the province.