ISU

Abbreviation with 2 meanings

ISU
Stands forIowa State University
Meanings2
CategoriesEducation & Academia, Sports

ISU has two meanings. It stands for Iowa State University (university) or International Skating Union (sports governing body).

Meanings of ISU at a glance

#ISU stands forContext
1Iowa State UniversityEducation & Academia › University
2International Skating UnionSports › Sports Governing Body

1. Iowa State University

Education & Academia · University Abbreviations

Land-grant university in Ames, founded in 1858, and the first institution designated under the Morrill Act after Iowa accepted its terms in 1864. Physicist John Atanasoff and student Clifford Berry built one of the first electronic digital computers there between 1939 and 1942.

Example: ISU's College of Veterinary Medicine was the first public veterinary college in the United States.

Its Cyclones compete in the Big 12. ISU also abbreviates Illinois State, Indiana State and Idaho State universities, so local context matters. The campus is known for its Campanile bell tower and the VEISHEA tradition, discontinued in 2014.

2. International Skating Union

Sports · Sports Governing Body Abbreviations

Oversees figure skating, speed skating, short-track speed skating and synchronized skating, running the World Championships and the Grand Prix series. It maintains the International Judging System used to score figure skating.

Example: The ISU raised the minimum age for senior figure skating competitions to 17.

Founded in 1892 in Scheveningen, the Netherlands, it is the oldest international winter sports federation; headquarters are in Lausanne. The International Judging System replaced the 6.0 system after the pairs judging scandal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. The minimum age of 17 was phased in by the 2024-25 season.

More university abbreviations

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  • IIT – Indian Institute of Technology
  • IU – Indiana University Bloomington
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More sports governing body abbreviations

  • IFAB – International Football Association Board
  • IIHF – International Ice Hockey Federation
  • IPC – International Paralympic Committee
  • IRB – International Rugby Board
  • ITF – International Tennis Federation
  • NOC – National Olympic Committee
  • OFC – Oceania Football Confederation
  • R&A – The R&A

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