UMSL continues to play a vital role in advancing the mission of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities
CUMU was recently highlighted in the news. This article was originally published on UMSL Daily, October 28, 2024.
Through education and outreach, urban and metropolitan universities play an important role in shaping the future of their communities. As its only public research university, the University of Missouri–St. Louis is a driving force in the St. Louis region, providing educational opportunities to a diverse group of students and preparing them to meet the workforce and research needs of the area.
“Higher education has evolved significantly from the days in which land grant institutions were placed and developed in agricultural regions of states to support that important economic sector,” Chancellor Kristin Sobolik said. “Today, the economic drivers of the nation are the urban and metropolitan regions, and it is imperative that higher educational institutions evolve to reflect that change and to support that economic focus and shift. The future of our nation depends on it.”
That’s a mission UMSL shares with the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities, of which it has served as a founding member since 1989. The coalition focuses on strengthening institutions as they develop new responses to the pressing educational, economic and social issues impacting their communities.