UNLV is now one of the top research schools in the nation. The university received “R-1” status from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, which is the highest designation that can be achieved.
For several years, UNLV has been working hard to achieve this status.
They previously ranked as an R-2 back in 2015 when Carnegie’s last updated the list. The university has a lot to celebrate because only 120 institutions in the country received the R-1 classification, out of 4,000.
They are right there with top-rated universities, including ivy leagues. UNLV is the first school in Nevada to receive this high designation.
Executive vice-president and provost, Diane Chase, says this will help recruit top faculty and students, as well as expand their research efforts.
She also believes the R-1 classification will have an economic impact.
“Now there’s an R-1 institution that’s located here, so companies that would be thinking about relocating are going to realize ‘oh, if we come here and we relocate, we got a great place for our employees to go to school, to educate their children and we’ve got a great workforce to depend on, so great cities and great universities go together,” Chase said.
Every three years, Carnegie pulls information from each institution including the number of doctoral degrees offered and how much is spent on research.
In 2017, UNLV spent $66 million, that’s up from $42 million in 2015. In 2017-2018, the university awarded 162 research doctoral degrees, that’s up from 124 in 2013-2014.
