Implementation Progress
Our goal is to expand the university’s impact on local and regional communities, the state of Iowa, and the world by leveraging its areas of distinction, the resources entrusted to it, and the collective talent of its people.
Since the start of the strategic plan, we have made significant progress in expanding patient care and healthcare services for Iowans. We have also continued to create partnerships with communities across the state, worked to increase access to higher education in Iowa, created impactful cultural experiences for all to enjoy, and established new methods to help all Iowans benefit from the groundbreaking research and innovation taking place on campus.
Key Metrics
60 +
Iowa communities engaged through IISC
The Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities connects students and faculty with communities throughout the state for mutually beneficial partnerships
# 2
campus for Green Power Usage
According to EPA's Green Power Partner rankings of college and university partners
3,000 +
Babies Born Annually at UI Health Care
An expansion of UI Health Care's maternity and NICU services will increase patient capacity and provide more access to critical services
500 +
performing arts performances annually
Works from Hancher and other performing arts units at Iowa engage thousands of visitors with transformational arts experiences
Highlights and Success
40,000+
Exhibit Attendance
To My Friends at Horn: Keith Haring and Iowa City is the most heavily attended single exhibition in the history of the Stanley Museum of Art
UI Health Care recognized for maternity care excellence
University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center has been named a 2025 High Performing hospital for Maternity Care by U.S. News & World Report. This distinction places it among the nation's top hospitals for maternity services, reflecting exceptional care for expectant parents.
Phase 1 of Emergency Department expansion completed at university campus
UI Health Care is in the process of expanding the Emergency Department (ED) at our university campus to shorten wait times and improve our ability to provide access to emergency care to Iowans.
UI app provides first responders new resource to bridge language barriers
Inspired by first responders training, Krista Davidson, a clinical professor in the Department of Communications Sciences and Disorders, developed a speech-generating application to assist first responders when communicating with nonspeaking individuals.
More Stories
Column One
Patient and Health Care
- Maintaining access to medical care and training for Iowans
- Providing training to improve life-saving care for Iowans
- Advancing health equity across Iowa
- UIHC nursing team earns fifth-consecutive Magnet designation
- Giving patients a better and smoother care experience
- UI will participate in four-state Heartland Consortium to boost research participation among rural populations
- New 30-bed short stay unit at UIHC enhances patient care, improves efficiency, enables quicker room turnover, and frees up additional adult inpatient beds.
- UI Hospitals and Clinics Named a Top Employer
- UI Health Care opens two urgent care clinics in Quad Cities
- Carver Rural Iowa Scholars Program is building a rural health care pipeline
- New clinic specializes in treating Iowans exposed to toxic substances
- UI Health Care Medical Center once again ranked Iowa’s No. 1 hospital by ‘US News & World Report’
- UI helping Iowa’s community hospitals improve cancer care
- UI Sports Medicine provides hands-on training for sideline care at sporting events in rural locations
- UI Health Care team helps schools, communities stay ready for cardiac arrest
- New AI tools to improve patient care and clinician well-being
- Iowa Doctors Explore Artificial Intelligence's Future in Medicine
- UI College of Dentistry, collaborators release Iowa Teledentistry implementation toolkit
- College of Public Health rural health center receives $5M CDC renewal grant
- UI Health Care ranked #1 ‘most humanizing’ health care brand nationally
- Emergency Department expansion halfway complete
- Supporting cancer patients throughout their treatment journey
- UI Health Care to invest in upgrades to downtown campus
- New AirCare base expands emergency response to Quad Cities
Sharing Knowledge with the Public
- UI Expert shares tips on adolescent social media use
- Writing for the Public Good P3 project aims to help scholars share their work with the world
- UI Social Media Ranked No. 1 for Engagement
- UI report identifies cancer risks for Iowans
- UI hosts first-ever Iowa History Conference
- UI archaeologists unearth mastodon bones in southern Iowa
- Writing for the Public Good engages 132 UI researchers and scholars
Enhancing educational access and opportunities
Column 2
Community Impact
- UI is economic powerhouse for state of Iowa
- UI students solving challenges for Iowa communities
- Showcasing Iowa City's arts and culture offerings
- Public art installations elevate community pride while sharing local history and identity with visitors from across Iowa
- Iowa students help create Maquoketa neighborhood
- State Hygienic Lab receives national recognition for wastewater testing
- UI students crafting plan to help Dubuque increase affordable housing
- UI initiative impacts Iowa communities
- Local newspaper acquisition benefits Iowa journalism students
- Stanley’s Musical Mural event blends of art and chaotic fun
Prioritizing Sustainability
- Integrating sustainability with education
- University of Iowa a leader in green power usage
- Integrating sustainability into the Iowa student experience
- Iowa Law receives $5 million gift to launch environmental law initiative
- Public gathers samples, explores the environment during UI BioBlitz
- Student Gardens Teach Sustainable Food Practice
- CLAS students learning about their impact through sustainability requirement
- UI receives $16M grant for Cambus system improvements
- UI establishes School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability
Expanding access to mental health and well-being services
- Scanlan Center for School Mental Health supports student wellness in Fairfield and throughout the state.
- Education faculty receive grant to address shortages of special education leaders
- Grant renewal supports mental health care for Iowa children and adolescents
- UI telepsychology training clinic helps address gaps in mental health services for Iowans