Photo: Researcher Allan Doctor, MD, of the University of Maryland School of Medicine
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) was designated as a Research 1 (R1) Institution by the American Council of Education (ACE) and the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education (Carnegie Foundation) on Feb. 13.
In the Carnegie Foundation’s news release, ACE President Ted Mitchell highlighted the new methodology used to classify U.S. research institutions, “which will shed light on institutions that have engaged in research but historically haven’t been recognized for it.” Mitchell added, “Instead of limiting research designations to the select institutions that award PhDs, all types of colleges and universities will now be celebrated for their research contributions.”
In a letter to the University community, UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, celebrated the change of what he called an “arcane rule that devalued the important contributions of universities that serve predominantly graduate and professional students and had kept UMB from receiving R1 classification.
“R1 status is a significant milestone that highlights our commitment to groundbreaking research and development, attracts funding, and enhances UMB’s global reputation,” Jarrell added. “UMB has long been a research powerhouse, and this designation reflects the extensive contributions of our faculty, researchers, and students.”
To achieve R1 status, universities must spend at least $50 million on research and development in a year and award at least 70 research doctorates in a year. In Fiscal Year 2024, UMB garnered more than $638 million in awards from both for-profit and nonprofit sponsors across its seven schools. Upholding a strong collaboration with the global life sciences industry, the University conducts millions of dollars of corporate-sponsored research annually and engages in partnerships with more than 300 bioscience and pharmaceutical firms.
For FY23, the UMB-University of Maryland, College Park research enterprise was ranked 11th nationally among public institutions and No. 18 overall in the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research and Development survey with combined research expenditures of $1.4 billion.
In his letter, Jarrell expressed gratitude to the University’s research community.
“UMB’s seven schools continue to drive innovative solutions to address societal challenges, improve health, and contribute to the global good. … I am proud of the UMB community for your commitment to our mission to improve the human condition and serve the public good, and I look forward to our University continuing to make meaningful contributions to research and society.”