02/14/2025
By Julie Chen
I am excited to announce that UMass Lowell is now listed as a Carnegie Research 1 (R1) university, a prestigious designation used to identify the nation’s top research institutions.
With only 7% of four-year universities designated as R1, the recognition affirms our role as a leading research institution – one that is shaping the future through groundbreaking research, impactful partnerships and transformative educational experiences.
This milestone, which was announced Thursday morning by the Carnegie Foundation for Teaching and the American Council on Education, is a testament to the unwavering dedication of our faculty, staff and students, whose hard work drives research excellence and innovation.
To reach R1 classification, an institution must spend at least $50 million on research and development and award at least 70 research doctorates on average in a single year. I am happy to share that UMass Lowell far exceeds these requirements with research expenditures of more than $120 million and nearly 150 doctoral degrees awarded, most of which are research doctorates.
As we celebrate this accomplishment, we also look ahead to new opportunities. The R1 classification positions us to further expand our research capabilities, attract top-tier faculty and students, and deepen our impact on both a national and global scale. Together, we will continue to build on this success.