Our Vision, Mission, and Who We Are
Our Vision
To be a model university and community, seamlessly woven together (hilo), where higher education is inspired by our beloved Hawaiʻi Island environment—rich in Hawaiian values, language, and culture—and empowers learners from any place to discover purpose, foster well-being, and leave the world a better place.
Our Mission
To cultivate a vibrant, inclusive community through education that honors Hawaiʻi’s Indigenous people, deepens understanding of our local and global connections, and inspires exploration of Hawaiʻi Island’s cultures and natural ecosystems.
Hawaiʻi Island cultures reflect its global history and influence
Hawaiʻi Island is where Polynesian voyagers first settled as Hawaiʻi’s Indigenous people, King Kamehameha I was born, Captain Cook died, the first missionaries to Hawaiʻi arrived, Paniolo learned cattle herding skills from Mexican vaqueros and adapted them to island terrain, sugar companies brought immigrants from China, Portugal, Japan, Puerto Rico, Korea, and the Philippines to work on plantations, family farms in Kona and Ka‘ū produce internationally acclaimed coffee, and the annual Merrie Monarch Festival has become the most prestigious hula competition in the world.
Hawaiʻi Island natural ecosystems reflect its geographic isolation and diverse topography
Hawaiʻi Island hosts the most climate zones within the smallest landmass from tropical coast to temperate to the desert to rainforest to the only periglacial climate in Hawaiʻi (Maunakea’s peak), four active volcanoes, one of which is the largest on earth (Maunaloa) and one of which is among the most active on earth (Kīlauea), and nine natural area reserves to protect rare forests, ferns, grasslands, bogs, birds, bats, lava tubes and anchialine pools (ponds with an underground connection to the ocean), and the only alpine lake in Hawaiʻi.
Who We Are: Working with, in and for the Community
At UH Hilo, we recognize that a strong connection with our community is essential for fostering a vibrant and sustainable future. Our commitment to being an impactful, Indigenous-serving, and community-minded institution drives us to create a transformative space for discovery, innovation, well-being, and meaningful contributions.
Our community is our history, our future
The story of UH Hilo reflects the community’s vision and resilience. As Hawaiʻi Island’s sugar industry declined in the late 1960s, Hilo’s leaders saw an opportunity to build a new foundation for their community—one rooted in knowledge, sustainability, and local empowerment. Their grassroots efforts led to the establishment of UH Hilo in 1970, creating a transformative institution that would serve as a cornerstone for East Hawaiʻi’s prosperity.
Nationally, the 1970s were a time when civil rights and environmental movements went mainstream. In Hawaiʻi, this included the Hawaiian Renaissance. This movement revitalized Hawaiian traditions for conserving natural resources for sustainability and led to the reversal of a nearly century-old ban on using the Hawaiian language in the 1980s. The Hawaiian language immersion programs, launched during this time, became a cornerstone of the revitalization, fostering the resurgence of Hawaiian as a living language and cultural practice.
UH Hilo’s strengths in the humanities and social sciences, environmental sciences, and Hawaiian language are reflected in these important community-driven movements. Community action also led to establishing of agriculture, business, health sciences, and professions programs at UH Hilo. Community leaders today are driving engagement with newer programs in computer and data sciences to support local innovation and workforce development.
Unraveled, UH Hilo and our community are fragile, but hilo ʻia (or woven) together, we are strong and unfrayed. UH Hilo was envisioned as a force of innovation and resilience. Today, we are uniquely positioned to export knowledge to the world while strengthening our home community.
Our university is inclusive, immersive
As a comprehensive public liberal arts and sciences university, UH Hilo offers rigorous baccalaureate and postgraduate education tailored to regional needs and global challenges. Faculty lead groundbreaking research while mentoring students in close, collaborative settings. We provide an inclusive experience for first-generation, non-traditional, part-time, and distance learners, ensuring that all students can thrive within our flexible, supportive programs.
UH Hilo’s location is not just a backdrop—it is a living, breathing natural and cultural laboratory where students engage with the island’s diverse people and ecosystems, from exploring the power of active volcanoes to studying celestial objects and the universe's origins to understanding the history and impacts of colonization, immigration, and grassroots activism through creative and critical inquiry. UH Hilo offers unparalleled opportunities for place-based learning grounded in Hawaiʻi and resonating globally. This dynamic environment sparks discovery, fuels innovation, and fosters a deep sense of purpose. Coupled with Hawaiian values, language, and culture, UH Hilo offers more than an education—it provides a transformative experience that connects students to a place, a community, and a legacy.
Students from Hawaiʻi Island deepen their ties to home while building global networks through diverse peers, faculty, and exchange programs. At the same time, UH Hilo attracts learners from across the Pacific, the continental U.S., and around the world, drawn by the opportunity to study in Hawaiʻi’s rich natural and cultural landscapes. The University offers unique advanced degrees in pharmacy, counseling psychology, nursing, heritage management, tropical conservation biology, environmental sciences, and education—programs that not only meet workforce needs but also provide meaningful professional opportunities, enriching both local and global communities.
UH Hilo, in strong partnership with the community, championed the establishment of Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language, affirming Hawaiian as an official state language and addressing its historic endangerment. This legislatively established college offers a unique Hawaiian medium educational pathway from preschool to doctorate, advancing Hawaiian language expertise and providing crucial resources for revitalizing Hawaiian and other Indigenous languages and cultures.
With small class sizes, advanced programs, and close faculty mentorship, students are empowered to address real-world challenges while developing a broader, more meaningful understanding of the world around them. At UH Hilo, education is not just about knowledge—it’s about belonging, purpose, and a call to make a difference in the world.
UH Hilo embodies the spirit of aloha—a commitment to collaboration, empowerment, and cultural vitality. By advancing innovation and resilience, UH Hilo weaves together the strength of its people, place, and legacy to shape a vibrant future for Hawaiʻi and the world. From developing healthcare professionals to preserving cultural heritage and addressing environmental challenges, UH Hilo strengthens the island’s resilience while preparing students to lead in their communities and beyond. Our commitment to East Hawaiʻi runs deep. By educating the next generation of leaders, advancing local workforce pathways, and tackling challenges unique to our island, UH Hilo serves as a driving force for community prosperity and sustainability.
