For more than 250 years,Columbia has been a leader in higher education in the nation and around the world.At the core of our wide range of academic inquiry is the commitment to attract and engage the best minds in pursuit of greater human understanding,pioneering new discoveries and service to society. For more than 250 years,Columbia has been a leader in higher education in the nation and around the world.At the core of our wide range of academic inquiry is the commitment to attract and engage the best minds in pursuit of greater human understanding,pioneering new discoveries and service to society.