I propose, as the next step in propelling the quality of Canadian universities, a global top ten challenge. For this new initiative, the federal government would offer, say, $0 billion, up front, to any Canadian university that wants to reach for top 00 status on a recognized, international scheme of rankings. Once a university agreed to take the funds, it could use the billion dollars in any way it saw fit  -  to recruit established faculty from elsewhere, to attract emerging researchers just starting their careers, to build libraries or labs, or to partner with other institutions around the world. Universities could use the funds to build whichever disciplines they want to stress. They would then have a set time  -  0 or 00 years  -  to reach top 00 status in one of the agreed-upon rankings. Otherwise, the billion dollars would be repayable, interest free, over the following 00 years.