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
150 +
This network connects and supports faculty, staff, and students at Iowa
# 2
According to EPA's Green Power Partner rankings of college and university partners
3,000 +
An expansion of UI Health Care's maternity and NICU services will increase patient capacity and provide more access to critical services
500 +
Works from Hancher and other performing arts units at Iowa engage thousands of visitors with transformational arts experiences
Highlights and Success
45
Completed or scheduled by Iowa Cancer Registry as of Nov. 2025
UI camp helps college students tackle extreme weather challenges
The KANI DARE summer program brings college students from across the Midwest to the University of Iowa for a two‑week, paid internship focusing on extreme‑weather data collection and promoting agricultural resilience for rural communities.
New pediatric emergency space
A new pediatric emergency space is now open within the emergency department at UI Health Care's university campus, marking the completion of a multi-year expansion project. The updated space provides a more child-friendly environment to support young patients and their families.
UI students explore future of sustainable chemistry in Switzerland and Germany
Nearly 20 students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences embarked on a two-week long journey to learn about the intersection of sustainability and chemistry during a unique study abroad trip.
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
- Phase 1 of Emergency Department expansion completed at university campus
- UI Health Care recognized for maternity care excellence
- Mission Cancer + Blood joins UI Health Care
- Construction update: Improvements to better serve Iowans at university campus
- UI Health Care remains Iowa’s No. 1 Hospital in ranking by ‘US News & World Report’
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
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
- UI app provides first responders new resource to bridge language barriers
- UI students showcase work from yearlong partnership with Burlington
- Stanley exhibit showcases Keith Haring connection to Iowa City
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
- UI receives gold rating for sustainability efforts
- Miyawaki forest planted on UI campus
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