Ohio University is a prominent U.S. public research university located on a 1,850-acre (7.5 km2) campus in Athens, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1804, it was the first university established in Ohio, the first in the whole Northwest Territory, and the ninth oldest public university in the United States. The Athens campus enrolls more than 21,000 students, who come from nearly every state and approximately 100 nations. Five regional campuses and e-learning programs further extend educational access and opportunity to students across southern Ohio and bring the total student population to more than 35,000.

Ohio University offers more than 250 areas of undergraduate study. On the graduate level, the University grants master’s and Ph.D. degrees in many of its major academic divisions and doctoral degrees in selected departments. Ohio University is fully accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifications designate Ohio University as a Research University (high research activity) under the Basic Classification category. The university was designated a center of excellence for energy and environment in 2009, and health and wellness, and communication in 2010.

Ohio University has been cited for academic quality and value by publications Fortune,U.S. News and World Report,BusinessWeek, and Forbes.The Chronicle of Higher Education has recognized the university as one of the top producers of U.S. Fulbright scholars by type of institution, with the highest number of recipients in the state as well as the Mid-American Conference in 2011-12. Its total number of Fulbright winners currently ranks the university first in the state for the fourth-straight year and nationally places the university in the company of Boston College, Princeton University, and UCLA.

Ohio's Division I sports teams are called the Bobcats and compete in the Mid-American Conference in all sports. Ohio is host to the oldest football venue in the MAC and among the oldest athletic arenas west of the Allegheny Mountains. Its men's basketball team has played in 13 NCAA basketball championships. The team defeated Georgetown 97-83 in 2010, and their 2012 victory over Michigan was followed with a 62–56 win over 12th seeded South Florida that saw them reach the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 1964.