The University of Rhode Island, commonly known as URI, is the principal public research university in the State of Rhode Island, with its main campus in Kingston, Rhode Island, and three other campuses located throughout the state. URI has 10,320 undergraduates and 3,115 graduate students. The other campuses are located in Narragansett, Providence, and West Greenwich. It is a land grant, sea grant, and urban grant institution.

The University was first chartered as the state's agricultural school in 1888 and became the Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts in 1892. In 1909, the school's name was changed to Rhode Island State College and the school's programs expanded beyond its original mandate. In 1951, the college became the University of Rhode Island.