The University of Minnesota was founded in 1851, and is Minnesota's only research university. Thanks to the ongoing devotion of faculty, students, and staff, the University of Minnesota has been responsible for many advances in science. Research at the University of Minnesota has developed a way to reverse memory loss in mice with possible implications for the fight against Alzheimer's and developed nearly 30 robots in partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense that are currently deployed in Iraq.

Thanks to the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, students can take part in faculty members' research. Students can also participate in over 200 work, internship, and study programs located in more than 60 countries. The University of Minnesota itself has four campuses that in the Twin Cities, Duluth, Morris, and Crookston, Minnesota, as well as a collaborative center in Rochester, and extension offices, outreach centers and research centers located throughout the rest of the state.