Mission and Vision

Approved by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, August 1, 2018

Achieving excellence in teaching, research, and public service within a supportive, respectful and inclusive environment is central to the mission and identity of the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD). As the flagship campus and a national leader in higher education, UMD strives to provide exceptional and affordable instruction for Maryland's most promising students, regardless of income. A pre-eminent locus of scholarship, the university builds and maintains a world class capacity in the sciences, arts, and humanities to support ground-breaking discoveries that address the most pressing global challenges and inspire the human imagination. As one of the country's first land-grant institutions, UMD uses its research, educational, cultural, and technological strengths in partnership with state, federal, private, and non-profit sectors to promote economic development and improve quality of life in the State of Maryland. Diversity amongst our students, faculty and staff is essential to this mission. Accordingly, ensuring equal educational opportunity; hiring and retaining a diverse and exceptional faculty and staff; recruiting and graduating talented students from traditionally underrepresented groups; and providing a supportive climate for their well-being are top institutional priorities.

Vision Statement

During the next decade, the University of Maryland will enhance its standing as a world-class, preeminent institution of higher education.

• The University will achieve this goal through an unwavering commitment to excellence in all that it undertakes.
• The University will attract a diverse student body that possesses the ability and passion for learning. Innovative and relevant programs, whether within or built upon traditional disciplines in the arts and sciences, will prepare students to be engaged and self-realized citizens and leaders in a complex, democratic society.
• The University will foster research, scholarship, and arts programs noted for their quality, creativity, and impact, and provide affordable access.
• As befits its proximity to the nation's capital, the University will expand its international influence and address great and challenging problems of our time. Taking maximum advantage of its special location, the University will be a world center for creation and refinement of knowledge; advancement in science and technology, humanities, and social sciences; global leadership; and innovative production in the creative and performing arts.