The University of Iowa is a national research university, founded in 1847, a few days after the state of Iowa was accepted into the Union

It is situated on a 1,900-acre campus on the Iowa River.

The university is home to the world-renowned Iowa Writer’s Workshop, which has produced 13 Pulitzer Prize winners. Recognising its contribution to creative writing, UNESCO designated Iowa as a City of Literature in 2008.

The university comprises 11 colleges, the largest of which is the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

First year students live in one of the university’s 30-plus, living-learning communities, some of which align to different majors or to social interests. Students also have a choice of over 500 student organisations to get involved with, as well as over 200 degree programmes.

The university is a member of the prestigious Big Ten Conference, the oldest collegiate athletic conference in the US.

Members of its 24 varsity teams wear black and gold and go by the name of ‘Hawkeye’. Their mascot is a hawk who wears the same colours.

Its Kinnick Stadium has a seating capacity of over 70,000. The university also has a 215,000 square-foot recreation centre with three indoor pools, a softball complex, a climbing wall and a high adventure challenge course.

The university was one of the first in the US to award a degree to a woman (in 1873) and to an African American student (in 1879). It was the first state university to recognise the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Allied Union (in 1970).

Each year, the university’s Division of Performing Arts stages over 400 dramatic performances, while its art museum houses 14,500 individual works of art.

Alumni of the university include author Tennessee Williams, and actors Gene Wilder and Ashton Kutcher.