Howard University has achieved the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education Research One (R1) classification, the highest designation for research activity among U.S. colleges and universities. The designation, which recognizes “very high research spending and doctorate production,” makes Howard the first and only historically Black college or university (HBCU) to attain R1 status.
“Howard University’s achievement of R1 status demonstrates our research capacity and reaffirms our deep commitment to tackling society’s most pressing questions through cutting-edge scholarship and technological innovation,” Howard President Ben Vinson III, PhD, said in a statement. “As a leader in the evolution of next-generation HBCUs, we are dedicated to ensuring that the benefits of discovery and progress reach all communities, including those historically overlooked and underrepresented. Through pioneering solutions and the strategic use of emerging technologies, we are shaping a future where knowledge drives inclusive prosperity and lasting impact.”
Carnegie determines R1 status based on criteria that include research expenditures and the number of doctoral degrees awarded. Institutions with this classification typically spend at least $50 million annually on research and grant at least 70 doctoral degrees. Howard has exceeded both thresholds, with nearly $85 million in research expenditures and 96 doctorates awarded in the most recent evaluation period.
“Howard’s track record of research prowess and success are evident in the numbers,” Bruce A. Jones, PhD, professor and senior vice president for research, said in the statement. “In Fiscal Year 2023, the most recent evaluation year in the classification cycle, the University’s productivity was significantly higher than the R1 base criteria, recording just under $85 million in research expenditures and awarding 96 doctorates in an array of fields, including the most doctorates awarded to Black students at any college or university in America.”
Howard has long been recognized as a leader in research across multiple disciplines. Its research initiatives focus on leveraging technological innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration to address complex societal challenges.
Among its notable research programs, Howard is home to one of only 15 U.S. Department of Defense University Affiliated Research Centers (UARC), focusing on tactical autonomy and artificial intelligence. The Center for Sickle Cell Disease was the first in the nation dedicated to the disorder, while the Cancer Center remains the only cancer center at an HBCU offering full treatment services and oncology training. Additionally, the university’s Moorland-Spingarn Research Center houses the nation’s most extensive repository of materials on the global Black experience.
