The University of Maryland (UMD) is a public research university, the flagship campus of the University System of Maryland, and the original 1862 land-grant institution in Maryland. It is one of only 61 members of the Association of American Universities (AAU). In keeping with the legislative mandates of 1988 and 1999, the University of Maryland is committed to achieving excellence as the State's primary center of research and graduate education and the institution of choice for undergraduate students of exceptional ability and promise. While the University has already attained national distinction, it intends to rank among the very best public research universities in the United States. To realize its aspirations and fulfill its mandates, the University advances knowledge, provides outstanding and innovative instruction, and nourishes a climate of intellectual growth in a broad range of academic disciplines and interdisciplinary fields. It also creates and applies knowledge for the benefit of the economy and culture of the State, the region, the nation and beyond.

The University of Maryland has a clear vision of its future as a nationally distinguished public research university. With increasing numbers of nationally- ranked graduate programs, a distinguished faculty, and research leading to the discovery of knowledge, the University is in a position to provide graduate education at the forefront of research and scholarship, which will attract the most highly qualified graduate students.

The University of Maryland shares its research, educational and technological strengths with businesses, government and other educational institutions. With productive scholars and researchers of the highest caliber, the University will continue to raise the entire level of business and commerce throughout the State. Because of the depth of knowledge possessed by the faculty across many disciplines, the University of Maryland is uniquely positioned to forge relationships with corporations, non-profit organizations, other educational institutions, local school districts, and major federal agencies, laboratories, and departments. Because of the breadth of strength in many disciplines, the University of Maryland is at the forefront in advancing knowledge in areas that increasingly depend on multi-disciplinary approaches. The University of Maryland serves as a hub of knowledge from which flow cultural, intellectual, and economic benefits to the State and region.