The Great Cities' Universities (GCU) coalition, incorporated in 1998, is the successor organization to the Urban 13, an informal research-sharing association of urban universities in major metropolitan areas of the United States.
Great Cities' Universities' nineteen member institutions are public universities located in urban areas in the United States. The consortium engages in public-private partnerships to explore and address urban issues, such as those related to education, housing, environment, criminal justice, transportation, health care, workforce development, and economic stimulation.