Drexel University (DU) is a private research university with the main campus located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a noted financier and philanthropist. Drexel offers over 70 full-time undergraduate programs and accelerated degrees. At the graduate level, the university offers over 100 masters, doctoral, and professional programs, many available part-time.

Drexel is best known for the cooperative education program (Co-op). Drexel's Co-op is the only mandatory one in Pennsylvania and regularly ranked as one of the best co-op programs in the United States. Participating students have a variety of opportunities to gain up to 18-month paid full-time working experience before graduation. The university has a large network of more than 1,600 corporate, governmental, and non-profit partners in 28 states and 25 international locations. The employers consists of top ranked multinational law firms, banks, corporations, and many Fortune 500 companies, such as Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, and Procter & Gamble.

Times Higher Education World University Rankings placed Drexel among the top 200 universities in the World. In U.S. News & World Report's annual "America's Best Colleges List", the university has been ranked consistently among the "Best National Universities – Top Schools". The 2011 rankings place Drexel sixth in their list of “Up and Coming National Universities” for "promising and innovative changes in the areas of academics, faculty, and student life." In addition, the National Science Foundation and the 2009 Lombardi Report also ranked Drexel among the top 50 private comprehensive research universities. Drexel also holds the distinction of paying its president more than any other private college in the country: For his term as a president from 1995 to 2009, Constantine Papadakis earned a total of $4,912,127 according to tax forms.