About the University of Maine System

Established in 1968, the University of Maine System is the state’s largest educational enterprise.

It has an annual enrollment of nearly 30,000 students and positively impacts the lives of hundreds of thousands of Mainers each year through its educational and cultural offerings as well as outreach and public service to individuals, businesses, organizations and policymakers.

The System has an estimated $1.5 billion total statewide economic impact each year, a return of $7.50 for every dollar of State appropriation. Two-thirds of its alumni—approximately 120,000 people—live in Maine.

The University of Maine System is accessible with seven universities—some with multiple campuses—located across the state, as well as a law school, an additional 31 course sites, and Cooperative Extension.

The University of Maine System Chancellor’s office is located in Estabrooke Hall on the University of Maine campus in Orono. System-wide services and governance employees work from campuses across the state.

Accreditation

The University of Maine System is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). This accreditation encompasses the System’s constituent universities and law school: the University of Maine and its regional campus, the University of Maine at Machias; the University of Maine at Augusta; the University of Maine at Farmington; the University of Maine at Fort Kent; the University of Maine at Presque Isle; the University of Southern Maine; and the University of Maine School of Law. Learn more about University of Maine System accreditation.

Strategic Plan

In keeping with the University of Maine System’s commitment to the students of Maine’s Public Universities and the University of Maine School of Law, the University of Maine System is launching a comprehensive and system-wide strategic planning effort to ensure the effective coordination and assessment of strategic activities that fulfill our tripartite mission to benefit all University of Maine System students and the State of Maine. The process will recognize the ongoing strategic plans of universities, and articulate a five-year vision that leverages the advantages of Unified Accreditation to achieve a fiscally sustainable institution while maintaining the quality and impact for which our universities are known. The planning will coincide with the New England Commission of Higher Education’s Fall 2022 comprehensive evaluation of the System’s unified accreditation. Learn more about the University of Maine System Strategic Plan.


University of Maine System News

Federal funding secured by Senators Collins and King will accelerate University of Maine System-led economic and community development 

ORONO, Maine — The six-bill federal budget package passed by Congress last week and signed by President Biden on Saturday will invest $40.8 million in University of Maine System (UMS) infrastructure and innovation to strengthen student opportunity and the state’sRead More

University of Maine System remembers Pat Collins, former chair of Board of Trustees and ‘a force in our community’

ORONO, Maine — The University of Maine System (UMS) is mourning the loss of Patricia Collins, of Caribou, who died Tuesday at the age of 96. Collins has been closely connected to Maine’s public universities for more than 75 years,Read More


News from Maine’s Public Universities


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