UAA Mission
The University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) transforms lives through teaching, research, community engagement and creative expression in a diverse and inclusive environment. Serving students, the state, and the communities of Southcentral Alaska, UAA is a comprehensive, open access, public university established on the ancestral lands of the Dena’ina, Ahtna, Alutiiq/Sugpiaq, and Eyak/dAXunhyuu Peoples.
UAA Core Competencies
In 2020, UAA launched a consensus-based, deliberative process to identify the key skillsets that help students achieve academic and post-graduation success. After a year-long process that included students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, and employers, the UAA community identified four “core competencies” at the heart of a quality UAA education. Students develop mastery of these competencies through curricular (e.g. courses), co-curricular (e.g. internships, conferences), and extra-curricular (e.g. student clubs) learning experiences.
Effective Communication: The knowledge and skills necessary to engage in effective communication in diverse contexts and formats.
Creative and Critical Thinking: The knowledge and skills necessary for the critical exploration of issues, ideas, artifacts, and events in order to creatively design, evaluate, and implement a strategy to answer complex questions or achieve a desired goal.
Intercultural Fluency: The knowledge and skills necessary to promote effective and appropriate interaction in a variety of cultural contexts, particularly in terms of the diverse populations of Alaska.
Personal, Professional, and Community Responsibility: The knowledge and skills necessary to promote personal flourishing, professional excellence, and community engagement.
Diversity Statement
UAA recognizes and values the diversity of our unique location in Southcentral Alaska, the ancestral homelands of the Dena’ina, Ahtna, Alutiiq/Sugpiak and Eyak/dAXunhyuu Peoples.
The University fosters an inclusive, welcoming and respectful campus community that promotes diversity, civility, inclusion, and an appreciation for each unique member of our academic community. UAA promotes and celebrates diversity through its academic and community support programs, clubs, committees, and councils. Intellectual honesty, mutual respect, and freedom from discrimination, intimidation, discriminatory harassment, and violence are central to our mission.
We honor diverse experiences and perspectives—including differences in ideas, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, race, culture, nationality, age, disability, veteran and socioeconomic status—and strive to create welcoming and inclusive learning environments where all are treated with respect.
At UAA, valuing diversity is integral to excellence. Diversity maximizes our potential for creativity, innovation, educational excellence and outstanding service to our communities.