The photographs selected for the slide show on the home page represent the University of North Carolina Wilmington's Seven Strategic Goals in action. These strategic goals, listed below, serve as benchmarks for all that we do at UNCW. They guide the direction and progress of our faculty, staff, administration, alumni, students and friends to further the university's strategic plan and vision of providing excellence in education, research and service.
- Create the most powerful learning experience possible for our students.
At UNCW, students are afforded opportunities to learn through collaborative scholarly activities with world-class faculty at a level that rivals exclusive research institutions. We are a community of learners who embrace scholarship and the necessary interplay between teaching and research. We strive to create learning environments and experiences that promote the cognitive, affective, physical and social development of the student learner.
- Recruit, retain and develop quality faculty, administration and staff in appropriate numbers.
The university strives to attract and support a faculty of outstanding scholars, as well as quality administration and staff representing a wide array of knowledge, skills, and abilities. We encourage and support professional development and career advancement opportunities and initiatives for faculty and staff.
- Embrace and enhance diversity throughout the university's constituencies, culture, curriculum and outreach activities.
Cultural, racial, ethnic and global diversity are fundamental to the mission of the university and are essential elements of an atmosphere of openness and free inquiry upon which teaching and learning rest. The measure of diversity lies not in maintaining certain percentages of minorities or even in representing the regional population, but rather ensuring a critical mass of historically underrepresented groups to promote cross cultural and racial understanding, to break down racial stereotypes, to enliven class discussions, to enable students to understand persons of different backgrounds, and to prepare students with leadership skills for success in an increasingly diverse workforce.
- Create an educational environment that prepares our students to be global
citizens.
UNCW is working to increase significantly the number of international students enrolled and to send more of our own students abroad, making it easy, natural, and affordable for them to make those transformative journeys to other lands.
- Strengthen the university’s regional engagement and outreach activities.
UNCW strives to partner with the public and private sectors to foster economic development throughout the region; to provide service to and collaborate with educational partners in public schools, community colleges and other universities; to connect theory and practice through service learning programs that enrich academic coursework and serve the region; to apply the intellectual and human capital of the university to address critical quality of life concerns in the service region; and to enhance the university's ability to perform larger scale multidisciplinary applied research programs that focus on issues important to Southeastern North Carolina.
- Enhance the quality of UNCW’s environment and provide a sustainable campus that
is attractive, functional and, above all, safe.
UNCW is committed to providing a safe learning and work environment where all students, faculty and staff can thrive. Campus safety initiatives include changes in the admissions process, a new focus of safety education and awareness, enhanced community policing and continuous safety upgrades to the physical environment.
- Ensure adequate resources to achieve university goals by increasing public
financial support and private giving.
The university seeks to secure critical educational resources through more equitable funding from the state; to strengthen the annual giving, planned giving and major gifts programs; to establish funding sources to meet the capital needs of a growing university; to increase grants, contracts and entrepreneurial activity to enhance the university's programs and projects and to meet the needs of students dependent on financial aid.
