For 143 Years, a Leader in Higher Education

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln, chartered in 1869, is an educational institution of international stature. UNL is listed by the Carnegie Foundation within the "Research Universities (very high research activity)" category. UNL is a land-grant university and a member of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU). The university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. UNL celebrated the 143rd anniversary of its founding on Feb. 15, 2012.

CARNEGIE FOUNDATION | APLU | HIGHER LEARNING COMMISSION

 

A Strong Foundation

Always a place of high ambition, this was one of the first institutions west of the Mississippi River to award doctoral degrees — the first was granted, in physics, in 1896. The University of Nebraska established the world's first undergraduate psychology laboratory. The discipline of ecology was born here, and the campuses reflect that tradition, being recognized as botanical gardens and arboreta. An early institutional interest in literature and the arts provided the foundations for today's Prairie Schooner literary magazine, for the University of Nebraska Press, and for the Sheldon Museum of Art, which houses one of the world's most significant collections of 20th century American art.

Today, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln is one of the nation's leading teaching institutions, and a research leader with a wide array of grant-funded projects aimed at broadening knowledge in the sciences and humanities.

PRAIRIE SCHOONER | UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA PRESS | SHELDON MUSEUM OF ART

 

Better to Best

In Fall 2012, for the ninth-straight year, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln was among the top 50 public universities listed in U.S. News and World Report's annual evaluation of America's Best Colleges. UNL is ranked near the top third of all national universities both public and private, (tied with four others at 101st). For the second year in a row, UNL is featured among schools that focus on student success through enriched offerings. The UCARE program, Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experiences, is included among the 33 best university programs in undergraduate research and creative projects. UNL is also listed in the ranking report among "A-Plus Schools for B Students."

Excellence in Undergraduate Education

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is a research-extensive institution with an extraordinary focus on Undergraduate Education. Our undergraduates learn from faculty who create new knowledge, who are leading scientists and scholars, and who care about students’ success. Several signature programs exemplify this commitment to undergraduate success. The Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experiences Program (UCARE) connects faculty and students who work collaboratively on independent study projects that advance new knowledge. The Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management develops leaders for this era of expanding information technology and business globalization. Students are selected for this innovative program based on high academic achievement, outstanding leadership experience, demonstrated interest in computer science and business, and career goals. The program provides an education balanced in technology and management while developing professional skills in leadership, communications and collaboration. The Heuermann Lectures focus on providing security – and here security means enough to sustain the world – in the areas of food, natural resources, and renewable energy for people, as well as on securing the sustainability of rural communities where the vital work of producing food and renewable energy occurs. The University Honors Program hosts Honors Forum talks to complement the 20-year-old E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues.

UCARE | RAIKES SCHOOL | HEUERMANN LECTURES | E.N. THOMPSON FORUM | HONORS PROGRAM

 

Research and Economic Development

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is the intellectual center for the state of Nebraska, providing leadership in education and research. The citizens of Nebraska benefit from the knowledge and research generated by our faculty and students. This research-based service to our state is a feature that distinguishes UNL as a land-grant university.

UNL's research enterprise has grown substantially during this decade. Total funding for research increased by 146 percent since 2000. In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, research funding totaled $122.5 million, which includes all external funds awarded for university research projects. Funding increased about 13 percent from $108.3 million a year earlier, the largest ever year-to-year research funding growth.

Nearly $84 million of UNL's external research funding in fiscal year 2009 came from federal sources, including the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Department of Energy, Department of Education, National Endowment for the Humanities, Department of Agriculture and other agencies. UNL's federal funding for research grew nearly 16 percent from $72.3 million in 2008. Non-federal funds came from foundations, industry, associations and state agencies.

UNL researchers are addressing emerging challenges facing our state and nation. For example, in 2009 the university launched an ambitious undertaking, the Global Water for Food Institute. This research institute will meet a critical need for an organization to address the challenges and issues surrounding the use of water for agriculture. It will be dedicated to helping the world efficiently use its water resources to ensure the food supply for current and future generations.

Examples of major research grants that contributed to the funding increase during fiscal 2009 include:

• $9.3 million from the National Science Foundation for NebraskaMATH, a statewide program to improve mathematics achievement for students.
• $8.1 million from NSF for continued support of UNL's Materials Research Science and Engineering Center and its nanotechnology research.
• $8.7 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Children's Bureau to establish the Midwest Child Welfare Technical Assistance Implementation Center.
• $3.8 million from NSF to establish an ADVANCE program at UNL to help recruit, promote and retain female faculty in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
• $2.5 million from NSF to make available nationwide a robotics and GPS/GIS science education curriculum developed by Nebraska 4-H.
• $300,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities to edit, annotate and make available online the Civil War writings of Walt Whitman.

OFFICE OF RESEARCH