Mission

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

Sunsetting Jayhawks Rising and Building KU's First University-Wide Strategic Framework

With the close of FY26, Jayhawks Rising and the KU Medical Center strategic plan are concluding, having helped advance progress across the university. Building on this strong foundation, in early 2026, KU launched a collaborative, institution-wide strategic planning process to develop a university-wide strategic framework that will guide all campuses, schools, and units in advancing our shared mission of student success, healthy communities, and research & discovery. The strategic framework will serve as a dynamic roadmap for alignment, accountability, and continuous progress across the university's Lawrence-Edwards and Medical Center campuses.

The framework's development has emphasized broad engagement across the university community. Since January 2026, university leaders have sought feedback from employees, students, and stakeholders to ensure the framework reflects the perspectives and aspirations of the KU community. Following the framework's targeted launch in spring 2027, the Strategy Office and university leaders will partner with schools and units to cascade the strategic alignment model across the institution, helping each unit align its goals and work with the university's shared mission, priorities, and outcomes.

Jayhawks Rising is the KU Lawrence and Edwards strategic plan, and 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 Engagement 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. An accessible version of the Jayhawks Rising Strategic Alignment Model is available on request. Please email AIRE-Help@ku.edu.

Campus Vision

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

Core Foundations

About

Values

IRISE

Retiring Jayhawks Rising 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

Accessible version of the Jayhawks Rising 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