Values and Culture

As a land-grant institution, Purdue University is part of a distinguished tradition of democracy, inclusiveness, and accessibility in higher education. As it makes advanced education available to qualified students, Purdue demonstrates its concern for the intellectual and personal growth of every individual.

In the land-grant tradition of inclusiveness, all members of the University community are valued for who they are and what they contribute. Our community's celebration of its members' diverse backgrounds, cultures, and viewpoints cultivates mutual respect in all interactions.

The University's community extends far beyond the physical limits of the campus and encompasses populations far greater than our students, faculty, and staff. In its teaching and learning, its scholarship, research, and creative endeavor, and its widespread outreach and engagement, Purdue serves the state of Indiana, our whole nation and, indeed, the entire global community.

As a great academic institution, Purdue pursues excellence in all its endeavors. Because it is open to change it encourages constant improvement. The University we envision is dedicated to cultivation and enrichment of the life of the mind. It is an open, democratic, and civil community of scholars engaged in free and untrammeled inquiry. It values learning as a way of life and promotes the habits of critical thinking and intellectual curiosity. It offers students access to cutting-edge learning experiences, facilities, and materials, to a faculty that vigorously pursues research and scholarship, and to academic guidance sensitive to their interests, needs, and abilities.

In its discovery and application of new knowledge and its collaborative relationships both within and outside the University, Purdue's faculty has a global impact. We recognize that all our academic efforts require intellectual freedom and a climate that encourages free and open exchange of ideas.

As a social institution, Purdue insists that its members act with honesty and integrity, and that they adhere to the highest standards of personal and professional behavior. We are pledged to use our financial, physical, and human resources wisely and prudently to improve our University, our community, and the world. As members of the University community, we accept our individual and institutional responsibilities and hold ourselves fully accountable for our words and our actions.