the university of utah (u) is the state's flagship, tier 1 research university located in salt lake city, offering numerous undergraduate and graduate degrees across 18 colleges and schools. founded in 1850, its mission includes educating students, generating new knowledge, and engaging with local and global communities to promote education, health, and quality of life. the university is a member of the association of american universities and the pac-12 athletic conference and features both a main campus and a health sciences campus.