The University of Nebraska - Lincoln is recognized by the Carnegie Foundation as a Doctoral/Research Extensive university. Through its three primary missions of teaching, research, and service, the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, more so than any other Nebraska college, is the state's primary intellectual center. They provide leadership throughout the state through quality education and the generation of new knowledge.

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. The university promotes respect for and understanding of cultural diversity and strives for a diverse student body, faculty, and staff. An environment exists whereby students can develop aesthetic values and human relationships including tolerance for differing viewpoints.

Graduates, faculty, and staff at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln are major contributors to the economic and cultural development of the state. The university attracts a high percentage of the most academically talented Nebraskans, and graduates form a significant portion of the business, cultural, and professional resources of the state.

Cornhusker football has always been the centerpiece of the University of Nebraska - Lincoln's spirit. Husker athletics have always stood for excellence both on and off the field. Cornhuskers have been honored with more Academic All-American awards, both in football and in all sports combined, than athletes of any other university.