The University of Maryland, the University System of Maryland’s flagship university and one of the nation's preeminent public research institutions, houses over 250 graduate degree programs, enrolls nearly 11,000 graduate students, and confers approximately 2800 graduate degrees annually. The Graduate School provides strategic leadership for graduate education at UMD, working closely not only with the university’s twelve colleges and schools, but also with national and international organizations such as the AAU Association of Graduate Schools, the Big Ten’s Committee on Institutional Cooperation, and the international research university consortium Universitas 21. The Graduate School's mission is to advance graduate education and enhance the graduate student experience.