Mission

We educate leaders, build healthy communities, and make discoveries that change the world.

We Are Jayhawks Rising

As a member of the KU community, you are part of Jayhawks Rising.

Jayhawks Rising is the KU Lawrence and Edwards strategic plan, the result of a highly engaging, multi-year planning process involving many groups and individuals.

Jayhawks Rising is organized around three institutional priorities, six campus goals, and supporting objectives that are designed to create a clear and ambitious direction to fulfill our mission as a university.

The three mission-based institutional priorities for Jayhawks Rising are Research & Discovery, Healthy & Vibrant Communities, and Student Success.

In the fall of 2025, the "Increase Engagements with Local & Global Communities" campus goal was divided into two separate stand alone aspirations that display different purposes of our university. As a result, "Engagement for Community Impact in Kansas and the Nation," and "Advance Scholarly Engagement with Global Partners," were developed. This increased the number of our campus goals from five to six under our institutional priorities:

Grow Research Innovation & Impact (Research & Discovery)
Create a Campus Community Culture Where Each Jayhawk Thrives (Healthy & Vibrant Communities)
Engagement for Community Impact in Kansas and the Nation (Healthy & Vibrant Communities)
Advance Scholarly Enagement with Global Partners (Healthy & Vibrant Communities)
Ensure Stewardship of the Institution (Healthy & Vibrant Communities)
Strengthen the Student Experience to Optimize Success (Student Success)

For more detailed information about Jayhawks Rising please refer to the Strategic Alignment Model.

Campus Vision

To be an exceptional learning community that lifts each member and advances society.

Core Foundations

About

Values

IRISE

Strategic Alignment

The Jayhawks Rising Strategic Alignment Model represents the structure and flow of the strategic plan for KU's Lawrence and Edwards campuses. It is inspired by our vision to be an exceptional learning community that lifts each member and advances society.

Strategic Alignment Model

Strategic Alignment Process

Institutional Priorities

KU is committed to conducting broad and impactful research that addresses the key challenges faced by the state, nation and world.

KU actively aligns resources and expertise with larger community partners to create healthy and vibrant communities that improve the quality of life of those on campus, within the state, and around the world.

Our students are central to everything we do at the University of Kansas. They come to learn, to develop and to participate in the classroom, on campus and across research projects.

Priorities, Goals & Objectives