A collection of images shows the wide variety of research, scholarship, and scenery KU provides: a researcher collects data in a laboratory; NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara participates in a Q&A from the International Space Station; geology students sit on a bluff admiring the view of forest-covered mountains; the skyline of KU’s Lawrence campus in the gilded light of sunset.

KU leads the pursuit of an empowered future.

The University of Kansas’ focus on economic development, health care, and discovery solidifies our key role among higher education institutions. We tackle global issues with vital research powered by our world-renowned faculty.

Read on to learn about some of the ways Jayhawks envision a better world and make it happen.

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 the nation’s top 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 2024: the largest enrollment since KU’s founding in 1865

5,323
first-year students
30,770
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 expertise, achievements, and innovation.

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One of the nation’s leading research universities

KU researchers pioneer new paradigms in cancer treatment, create thousands of jobs every year, forge actionable paths toward a sustainable future, and more. Subscribe below to learn how Jayhawks use their ingenuity and spirit to improve the world.

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MAJOR RESEARCH INSTITUTION

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A mighty force for creative research

In fiscal year 2024, KU spent $546.1M on research activity — a 83.5% increase in research spending over the last nine years.

Life-changing discoveries for the world

Thanks to the KU Life Span Institute, KU ranks #1 globally in developmental disability research.

Collaboration meets innovation

KU Innovation Park connects companies with KU resources and skills, creating over 750 direct private sector jobs and $49.8 million in annual payroll as of the end of 2024.
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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

As vice chair of the Association of American Universities’ board of directors, KU Chancellor Douglas A. Girod is at the forefront of federal policy issues and other decisions affecting research institutions.

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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.
A KU faculty member leads a group of students during an on-site learning experience examining Kansas grasslands.

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 collection of images explores KU's international studies: a group from the Kansas African Studies Center plays handmade drums together; international students walk in a parade while proudly carrying flags; a student in a straw hat stares thoughtfully at the horizon line.

Internationally renowned

KU is one of only 13 universities in the country to have four or more federally funded centers dedicated to international area studies:
· Center for East Asian Studies
· Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies
· Center for Latin American & Caribbean Studies
· Kansas African Studies Center

ENTERPRISES AND INVENTIONS

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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

KU has signed an agreement with Panasonic Energy Co. Ltd. to develop new technologies and cultivate expertise in lithium-ion batteries at a new facility in De Soto, Kansas. This partnership will aim to reduce CO2 emissions through the adoption of electric vehicles and promote regional and national economic development.

A powerhouse of drug development

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

At the top of our game

The Gateway District will transform KU’s football stadium and the surrounding campus into a year-round destination for students, employees, and visitors while driving economic development for the region.

Five campuses. One KU.

Jayhawks create and collaborate on campuses across Kansas, including locations in Kansas City, Lawrence, Overland Park, Salina, and Wichita.
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A series of images showcases the KU School of Architecture: a student in a red hard hat takes a moment to appreciate structures they have helped create; a student in a white hard hat attaches tape to a pillar; two students in safety vests watch a crane lift lumber toward the roof of a new structure.

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.

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Inventions that improve the world

KU researchers disclosed 334 new inventions from fiscal year 2019 to fiscal year 2024.

Bold concepts lead to novel pursuits.

Research at KU powers 54 active startups with more than half based in Kansas.

Fostering creative discoveries

KU’s 11 research centers and institutes and over 40 research labs help protect our region’s water, assure cybersecurity, explore cures for cancer, and so much more.
A collection of images of first responders at KU includes campus police parked in front of Memorial Union, a firetruck rolling down Jayhawk Boulevard, and the silhouettes of four officers set against a light blue sky.

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 50 academic programs that rank in the top 50 nationally among public universities, including the #1 programs in local government management, special education, and paleontology.

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.

Distinguished among the elite

KU is home to one of only seven U.S. honors programs to receive a perfect score in the most recent edition of Inside Honors.
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A montage of images showcases KU's Monarch Watch and includes a butterfly perched on the thumb of a participant, a group holding butterfly nets to assist in tagging monarchs, and a participant teaching young children about butterflies.

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 helps train needed experts in technology, health care, criminal justice, professional management, and more.
A series of images features the KU School of Engineering and includes faculty and students participating in lab experiments and observing a 3D molecular model.

Engineering a sustainable future

The National Science Foundation has awarded KU $26 million to establish a new Gen-4 Engineering Research Center called the Environmentally Applied Refrigerant Technology Hub, or EARTH for short. KU researchers will work with industry partners to create a sustainable and circular refrigerant economy, producing tremendous economic and societal benefits for the nation.

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KU is big on business.

U.S. News & World Report ranks the MBA program at the KU School of Business among the best offered by public universities in the nation:
#6 best online MBA for veterans
#7 best public online MBA
#33 best public full-time MBA

Striking chords and winning awards

In 2024, the KU School of Music won several national awards, including the DownBeat Student Music Award for Outstanding Performance earned by both the KU Jazz Ensemble I and KU Jazz Singers.

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 MFA ranks in the top 35 among public universities.

SERVING COMMUNITIES

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Physicians at the heart of healing

The KU School of Medicine ranks in the top 15 best schools in the country for graduates practicing primary care and in rural areas.

High standards for high-quality health care

Five KU School of Health Professions programs rank in the top 15 nationally among public universities: nurse-anesthesia, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, audiology, and physical therapy.

Training nurses for our nation

The KU School of Nursing’s BSN program ranks #19 among public universities, placing it in the top 5% of all BSN programs nationally.
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Images feature students from the KU William Allen White School of Journalism & Mass Communications: two students sit in front of a camera on a news reporting set; student photographers capture the spirit of a KU athletics event.

The source for future communicators

Following the launch of a sports media and society concentration at the KU William Allen White School of Journalism & Mass Communications in fall 2023, enrollment in the program jumped 346% in one year, leading to a record high enrollment in fall 2024.

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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.

KU’s global community is 400,000+ members strong.

Jayhawks are senators, Nobel laureates, Olympians, CEOs, astronauts, and more.
During a lecture, an instructor writes notes for the class on a whiteboard.

Jayhawks get the job done.

Every year, thousands of Jayhawks enter the workforce determined 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 the KU Alumni Association — has connected more than 14,000 students, alumni, and supporters through KU Mentoring+ networking and job opportunities.
An image of a KU student in a white military uniform is layered on top of a photo from an event at KU's Memorial Campanile attended by military officers.

Honoring our nation’s service members

The Military Friendly Schools survey gave KU a Gold Award designation for exceptional practices, outcomes, and programs for the thousands of military-affiliated students across our campuses. This includes a robust ROTC program and an educational partnership with the Army Command and General Staff College in Leavenworth, Kansas.

More Ways KU Powers Kansas

An architectural rendering of the Gateway District project and the new David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. It features a state-of-the-art sporting venue and additional buildings that will house economic-boosting amenities.

The Gateway District

The Gateway District project and the new David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium will include a world-class sporting venue and amenities to help drive economic development, academics, and student recruitment.
Gateway District info
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
Nursing students wear surgical masks while practicing in a clinical setting.

Kansas Nursing Workforce Center

Learn more about how KU is advancing the nursing profession in Kansas through research, education, and policy development.
KANSAS NURSING WORKFORCE