Arizona State University is ranked as one of the top 100 research universities in the world. Since 2002, the university's mission has been to create a new model for higher education in the United States, one that meets the challenges of the 21st century. This New American University is measured by who it includes, not who it excludes; pursues research and discovery that benefits the public good; and assumes major responsibility for the economic, social, and cultural vitality and health and well-being of the communities it serves.ASU serves more than 70,000 students across 5 campuses in the Phoenix Metropolitan area.