As of Feb 13, the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching have officially designated UMass Boston as an R1 research university, naming it one of the top research institutions in the United States.
According to Forbes, UMass Boston was one of 187 institutions that received the designation this year and one of the 41 institutions that received the designation for the first time.
According to the Massachusetts Life Science Center, the school is one of three universities in Massachusetts to be designated an R1 research university for the first time in 2025, alongside [with UMass Lowell and Worchester Polytech Institute.](https://www.masslifesciences.com/ma-institutions-earn-r1-classification/#:~:text=The Commonwealth is now home,support from industry and government.)
The R1 designation is reserved for institutions that spend at least $50 million annually on research and development, and award at least 70 research doctorates per year. From June 1, 2023 to July 30, 2024, UMass Boston reported $81.1 million in annual research funding and $71.34 million in research expenditures, 31% and 33.7% increases since the last round of R1 designations in 2021. 110 doctoral degrees were granted in 2024, nearly double the number of doctoral degrees granted a decade ago.
“The elevation of UMass Boston into the highest tier of research universities is an acknowledgment of the remarkable contributions of our faculty, staff, and students. Building upon this strong foundation of impactful research and doctoral education, we look forward to continued success in our mission-driven work as a leading research university,” said Provost Joseph Berger in a blog post.
“In higher education, we frequently discuss research that expands the ‘frontiers’ of knowledge, drives economic and social progress, and spurs innovation,” wrote Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco in an email. “This R1 designation places UMass Boston on a clear path to deliver high-impact research for the benefit of the City of Boston, the Commonwealth, and the world. Furthermore, this recognition affirms the university’s strong commitment to enhancing core facilities and forging cross-sector partnerships that amplify the research produced by our extraordinary faculty, staff, and students.”
Chancellor Suárez-Orozco credited UMass Boston’s shared commitment to impactful research and scholarship for allowing the university to earn the designation in that email and mentioned that he looks forward to continuing UMass Boston’s advancements as a great research university.
