The University of Nebraska-Lincoln, chartered by the Nebraska Legislature in 1869, is the campus of the University of Nebraska system that serves as both the land-grant and comprehensive public research university of the state of Nebraska. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln works cooperatively with Nebraska’s three other campuses and central administration to provide for its student body and all Nebraskans the widest array of disciplines, areas of expertise, and specialized facilities of any institution within the state.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is listed in the Carnegie Classification system as a research university with very-high research activity, is one of the nation's leading public teaching institutions, and is a research leader with a wide array of grant-funded projects aimed at broadening knowledge in the sciences and humanities.

The university is a member of the Big Ten conference and the Big Ten Academic Alliance. Nebraska is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and completed a successful reaccreditation visit in 2017