Our Mission and Vision
The mission of Washington University in St. Louis is to act in service of truth through the formation of leaders, the discovery of knowledge, and the treatment of patients for the betterment of our region, our nation and our world.
At WashU, we generate, disseminate, and apply knowledge. We foster freedom of inquiry and expression of ideas in our research, teaching and learning.
We aim to create an environment that encourages and supports wide-ranging exploration at the frontier of discovery by embracing diverse perspectives from individuals of all identities and backgrounds. We promote higher education and rigorous research as a fundamental component of an open, vibrant society. We strive to enhance the lives and livelihoods not only of our students, patients, and employees but also of the people of the greater St. Louis community and beyond. We do so by addressing scientific, social, economic, medical, and other challenges in the local, national, and international realms.
Our goals are:
to foster excellence and creativity in our teaching, research, scholarship, patient care and service
to welcome students, faculty and staff from all backgrounds to create an inclusive, equitable community that is nurturing and intellectually rigorous
to cultivate in students habits of lifelong learning and critical and ethical thinking, thereby enabling them to be productive members and leaders of a global society
to contribute positively to our home community of St. Louis, and to effect meaningful, constructive change in our world
To this end we intend:
to hold ourselves to the highest standards of excellence
to educate aspiring leaders of great ability from diverse backgrounds
to encourage faculty and students to be innovative, bold, independent, critical thinkers
to build an inclusive, equitable, respectful, ethically-principled environment for living, teaching, learning and working for the present and future generations
to focus on meaningful and measurable outcomes for all of our endeavors
Mission statement endorsed by the Faculty Senate Council in April 2021 and approved by the Board of Trustees on October 1, 2021.
Our strategic plan
In 2022, WashU unveiled its strategic plan, setting a bold and ambitious path for the next decade. Called “Here and Next,” the plan represents the university’s 10-year strategic vision and was developed through a process that included 18 months of listening, outreach and work sessions, and incorporating feedback from thousands of students, faculty, staff, alumni and community partners.
