UNR shuffled into “R1,” too

Days after UNLV was named an “R1” research institution, the University of Nevada, Reno, has also made its way onto the list.

The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education gave UNR “R1” status, a designation reserved for institutions with “very high research activity.” As part of its stated mission UNR sought to achieve a “very high” research Carnegie status by 2021, a goal now reached 3 years early.

The shift is the result of Carnegie reshaping categories to count advanced professional degrees such as medical or law degrees as part of their evaluation, where it hadn’t before. The reshaping means that a small handful of universities moved up to R1 or “very high research” activity designation— the classification now includes 130 institutions, up from 115 in 2015.

“It is with tremendous pride, gratitude and a terrific sense of achievement that I bring you the news that the University of Nevada, Reno has been notified by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education that our institution has been elevated to the top classification for research universities: R1- Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity,” wrote UNR president Marc Johnson in a statement sent to faculty and staff. “This is the culmination of a quest that began years ago and was only made possible through the significant contributions of so many within our University community.”

Johnson also congratulated UNLV on their newly recognized status as an R1 institution, and said additional information about what the status change would mean for UNR will follow in the weeks ahead.