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KU academics create a better world

Academic excellence at the University of Kansas reaches beyond our campuses to deliver benefits to communities in Kansas and beyond. Our world-renowned faculty train tomorrow’s experts, healers, leaders, and problem-solvers.

Read on to learn how KU creates a better tomorrow.

KU’s top-tier designations

An architectural rendering of the new additions to the University of Kansas Cancer Center features a sleek exterior that reflects a bright blue sky, feathery clouds., and the Kansas horizon.

National Cancer Institute

The University of Kansas Cancer Center is among the top 1% of centers nationally.
An instructor and students in the KU School of Engineering examine a 3D molecular model made up of small red points connected by barely visible rods.

Research 1 institution

Carnegie Classification for the highest level of research activity in higher education
The Academic Jay statue, bronze on a marble pedestal, glistens in the sunset light near the main entrance to Strong Hall.

Association of American Universities member

One of only 38 public institutions in the AAU, an organization of North America’s leading research universities
KU students use shovels to move gravel during KU's annual community day of service known as The Big Event.

Carnegie Community Engagement Classification

For notable contributions of knowledge and resources to the community

Fall 2025: the largest enrollment since KU’s founding in 1865

5,040
first-year students
31,169
total students

There’s so much to discover

You can jump ahead to explore what you’re most interested in or scroll along to learn about the many facets of KU’s scholarship, expertise, and achievements.

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One of the nation’s leading research universities

Curious how Jayhawks use their ingenuity and spirit to improve the world? Subscribe to Created by KU, a storytelling platform showcasing how KU researchers and faculty improve people’s lives in Kansas, the U.S., and the world.

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KU research improves lives

Creators at the University of Kansas are making a better future. This video from KU’s University Research Awards showcases the brilliant KU minds who serve the global community through imagination and invention.

MAJOR RESEARCH INSTITUTION

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A mighty force for creative research

In fiscal year 2024, KU surpassed the half-billion-dollar mark for research activity for the first time in the university’s history.
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Life-changing discoveries for the world

Thanks to the KU Life Span Institute, KU ranks #3 globally in developmental disability research.
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Collaboration meets innovation

KU Innovation Park connects companies with KU resources and skills, creating more than 811 direct private sector jobs and $53.8 million in annual direct payroll as of February 2026.
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KU Chancellor Douglas A. Girod jovially smiles while sitting at his office desk, which includes several pieces of Jayhawk memorabilia.

A true leader in higher education

KU Chancellor Douglas A. Girod serves as chair of the Association of American Universities board of directors, helping guide federal policy issues and other decisions affecting research institutions. He is also chair of the Big 12 Conference’s board of directors and a member of both the NCAA Division I board of directors and the NCAA board of governors.

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Jade Fabello, a member of the AfroRithm Futures Group, motions toward a graphic projected on a screen during their presentation at the Hall Center for the Humanities. The graphic includes Afrofuturist storytelling for group and individual empowerment, including “We all have the power to heal” and “We create more.

Brilliant minds, crucial conversations

For nearly eight decades, KU’s longest-running lecture series — hosted by the Hall Center for the Humanities — has brought more than 185 eminent scholars to KU to discuss the most important worldwide humanities topics.
An image from the Kansas Energy Transition Atlas includes county-by-county information on wind turbine locations and local policy regulations for wind energy.

The future of our nation’s energy

Researchers at KU are informing the public about meeting energy and economic demands through renewable energy policies with the Kansas Energy Transition Atlas. This interactive map could eventually expand across the country, informing national policy and enhancing the economy.
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The heart of KU

The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences educates the most students and produces the most research at KU, with more than $56 million in annual research expenditures.
A collage of photos including a large audience at the Lunar New Year celebration in a ballroom watching three Chinese dragons dance behind scrolls laid out on the floor and in front of a person with a gong, a group of students in front of a castle in England, and students looking at study abroad displays on tables and a globe in the foreground.

KU leads the Midwest in global engagement

The University Kansas is home to thousands of international students from over 100 countries. Around 25% of Jayhawks complete a cross-cultural experience abroad before they graduate, making KU one of the top regional universities for study-abroad opportunities.

ENTERPRISES AND INVENTIONS

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KU boosts Kansas’ economy

KU is a major economic development engine for Kansas and the region. KU activities add $7.8 billion to the state economy each year. Additionally, KU’s academic excellence and research opportunities invite talent from around the world to join our spirited community and increase revenue for the state.

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Creating jobs for an empowered Kansas

KU’s total annual economic impact is the equivalent of supporting 87,693 jobs, or one out of every 23 Kansas jobs.

The value of a KU education

For every $1 a student invests in a KU education, they see a return of $5.70 in lifetime earnings.

Drawing visitors and boosting revenue

KU welcomes more than 422,000 out-of-state guests every year, adding $86.6 million to the Kansas economy.
A montage of images focuses on KU's leadership in innovation: Chancellor Douglas A. Girod poses with Akira Nagasaki from Panasonic Energy; a KU faculty member performs an experiment attaching wires to a conduit; electrical chords are attached to two panels on a laboratory desk.

Energizing next-generation technology

Panasonic Energy Co. Ltd. (a Panasonic Group Company) and the University of Kansas have signed an agreement aimed at promoting the development of next-generation technologies and cultivating expertise in the field of lithium-ion batteries. This project demonstrates a joint commitment to reducing CO2 emissions by optimizing electric vehicles. The collaboration will also create new jobs, strengthening the local economy in De Soto and the surrounding Kansas areas.

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A powerhouse of drug development

More than two dozen FDA-approved drugs have been invented or coinvented in KU School of Pharmacy labs.
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At the top of our game

The transformed David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium marks a new chapter for KU football and the state. The stadium renovations will boost KU’s economic impact and support students, employees, and visitors.
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Five campuses. One KU.

Jayhawks create and collaborate on campuses in Lawrence, Overland Park, Kansas City, Salina, and Wichita.
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Solving future problems today

With its focus on energy-efficient methods, the KU School of Architecture & Design is building an ecologically sustainable future through student-led LEED Platinum Certified projects, the highest level of recognition for sustainable building practices.

Student opportunities forge new solutions

Explore Haven Studio, a net-zero housing design created entirely by KU students. As part of the Solar Decathlon Build Challenge, students in the School of Architecture & Design envisioned an energy-efficient home for a more sustainable future, then made it a reality in just three months.
 

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Inventions that improve the world

KU researchers disclosed 348 new inventions from fiscal year 2021 to fiscal year 2025.

Supporting business growth

Research at KU powers 56 active startup companies, with over half based in Kansas, adding $89.4 million to the state’s economy annually.

Fostering creative discoveries

KU’s 38 research centers and institutes and over 40 research labs help protect our region’s water, assure cybersecurity, explore treatments for cancer, and so much more.
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KU powers Kansas

As the flagship university of Kansas, KU’s research, services, and alumni strengthen the state’s economy, workforce, health care, and more. KU provides fire, rescue, and law enforcement training across Kansas, and every county in the state receives KU Medical Center outreach. Our pursuits generate billions of dollars each year in economic benefits for Kansas and the Kansas City metro area.

TEACHING, LEARNING, AND DISCOVERY

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Scholarship that rises to the top

KU has 48 academic programs that rank in the top 50 nationally among public universities, including the #1 programs in local government management, special education, and paleontology.
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A spirited pursuit of knowledge

KU’s commitment to excellence in academics and service is embodied in the work of 27 Rhodes scholars — more than any other Kansas university.
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Honored to make history

KU has one of the oldest honors programs in the nation and was a founding member of the National Collegiate Honors Council.
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A collage of photos including a person holding a Monarch butterfly showing a group of students and community members with butterfly nets how to tag Monarch butterflies, the backs of two people, one holding a butterfly net, walking on the boardwalk in the Wetlands, and four people with butterfly nets walking next to tall grass.

Helping conservation take flight

Monarch Watch, an international program at KU dedicated to the preservation and study of monarch butterflies, has been educating the public about these vital pollinators for over three decades. The Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research is the administrative home for the program and also manages the 3,200-acre KU Field Station, a site for study in the sciences, arts, and humanities.

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A group of KU students collaborate at a conference table in a classroom.

The mainstay of social work in the Midwest

KU’s School of Social Welfare is the only school in the region that offers BSW, MSW, DSW, and Ph.D. degrees.
A lecturer at the KU School of Law speaks from a podium to a classroom filled with students.

Raising the bar

The KU School of Law is among the top 50 best law schools in the country.
Two researchers evaluate a computer server composed of wires, panels, and colorful lights.

Equipping in-demand workers

The KU School of Professional Studies trains needed experts in technology, health care, criminal justice, professional management, and more.
A collage of photos including several people touring a high-ceilinged lab in the Environmentally Applied Refrigerant Technology Hub (EARTH), researchers wearing eye protection explain their work to a tour member, and Big Jay and a student talk with participants in front of poster presentations at the EARTH conference.

Engineering a sustainable future

The National Science Foundation awarded KU $26 million, establishing the new Gen-4 Engineering Research Center called the Environmentally Applied Refrigerant Technology Hub (EARTH). In collaboration with industry partners, KU researchers are endeavoring to create a sustainable refrigerant economy, producing long-term economic and societal benefits for Kansas and the nation.

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Big on business

U.S. News & World Report ranks the MBA program at the KU School of Business among the best offered in the nation:
• #5 best online MBA for veterans
• #8 best online MBA
• #36 best public full-time MBA

Setting the stage for greatness

KU Chamber Choir received the coveted Grand Prix, the highest honor of the 2025 Cracovia Cantans International Choir Competition in Krakow, Poland. KU Opera and KU Theatre won first place in the 2025 Theater/Musical Performance category of the American Prize, a leading national award, for their coproduction of “Sweeney Todd.”

Art that leaves a mark

The KU School of the Arts has more than 20 academic programs exploring the visual and performing arts, and their fine arts graduate program ranks in the top 35 among public universities.

SERVING COMMUNITIES

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Physicians at the heart of healing

KU School of Medicine ranks in the top 16 best schools in the country for primary care.
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High standards for high-quality health care

Five KU School of Health Professions programs rank in the top 30 nationally among public universities: physical therapy, occupational therapy, audiology, health care management, and nursing-anesthesia.
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Training nurses for our nation

The KU School of Nursing’s BSN program ranks #25 among public universities, placing it in the top 10% of all BSN programs nationally.
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The source for future communicators

The KU School of Journalism & Mass Communications’ sports media and society program is one of the fastest growing in the country. The program saw a 38% increase in enrollment in the past year.

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NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara participates in a Q&A from the International Space Station. There is a Jayhawk flag in the background and a Jayhawk plushy floating in zero-gravity beside her.

A global community of 400,000+ KU alumni

Jayhawks are senators, Nobel laureates, Olympians, CEOs, astronauts, and more.
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Jayhawks on the job

Every year, thousands of Jayhawks enter the workforce prepared to excel in some of the most in-demand occupations in our nation, including IT specialists, nurses, doctors, teachers, social workers, and more.
KU students wearing business attire network with local participants during a job fair.

A professional networking community

The Jayhawk Career Network — part of KU Alumni — has connected more than 16,000 students, alumni, and supporters through KU Mentoring+ networking and job opportunities.
A collage of photos including a battalion of KU Army ROTC members standing in front of Allen Fieldhouse and a closeup of a Jayhawk patch on the shoulder of a dress uniform.

Honoring our nation’s service members

The latest Military Friendly Schools survey gave all KU campuses top rankings for exceptional practices, outcomes, and programs for military-affiliated Jayhawks — including top-10 rankings for our Lawrence and Wichita campuses and a Gold Award designation for our Salina, Edwards, and Medical Center campuses. Among KU’s military-friendly services are a robust ROTC program and an educational partnership with the Army Command and General Staff College in Leavenworth, Kansas.

More Ways KU Powers Kansas

Two KU researchers collaborate in a lab.

Breakthrough research that improves lives

KU research spans cultures, disciplines, centuries, and continents, all powered by the determination of our faculty and students. Read how these KU researchers lead the way to a healthier and stronger tomorrow.
Learn about research award winners
Jennifer Delgado leads a class while standing at a chalkboard.

An excellent, engaged academic community

KU educators are committed to preparing thousands of Jayhawks to join the workforce. Learn how these award-winning teachers empower students to dream big and deliver results that will improve the world.
Read about teaching award winners
A map of Kansas includes county lines and notable cities.

Statewide Impact Map

Explore the data on this map to learn how KU’s research, services, education, and alumni are making a difference throughout Kansas.
review impact map
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KU Economic Impact Study

The University of Kansas serves Kansans and others throughout the region by creating thousands of jobs, educating an empowered workforce, and adding billions of dollars to the economy annually.
Discover KU’s Economic Impact