Research encompasses investigations conducted primarily for discovery and application of knowledge. These investigations cover matters related to the educational objectives of the institutions and to general societal needs. Most of the research is conducted through the universities; however, some of it is conducted through the state colleges.

Augusta State University Mission Statement

Augusta State University is committed to excellence in teaching, advancement of knowledge, and enrichment of the community in a climate that fosters humane values and a life-long love of learning. With origins in the founding of the Academy of Richmond County in 1783 and the creation of a separate Junior College of Augusta in 1925, its mission is predicated on the cultural, social, and economic value of a strong liberal arts education. This enlarges its students' individual versatility, creative powers, cultural appreciation, knowledge of the world, respect for others, and professional expertise.

Augusta State University strives to be a national model of excellence for its quality of service to the second largest metropolitan area in Georgia. With a broad array of undergraduate programs and a select offering of graduate programs below the doctoral level, it functions as a metropolitan, non-residential university for the area.

Open to the voices of all its members, the University serves a population diverse in race, background, age and preparation. It provides access not only to those who are fully ready for college but also to the under prepared who show potential and to those seeking the kind of academic challenge normally associated with elite, private institutions.

Emphasizing student-faculty contact, the University fosters intellectual growth through learning assistance, honors courses, and student research. It promotes electronic information technologies and links students with the world community of scholarship.

The University collaborates with the Medical College of Georgia, Paine College, Augusta Technical Institute, Fort Gordon, and P-12 schools. It makes constant, programmatic use of local industries, agencies, and institutions as laboratories for practical learning experiences. In an area with a large health care industry, it provides undergraduate general education courses for the Medical College students, prepares students to enter programs at that institution, and educates others who work in the medical field. It is also the principal source of training for the area's teachers and business leaders.