Virginia State University Named A Founding Member Of National HBCU Coalition Advancing Toward Top Research Status
VSU will help expand research excellence, accelerate discovery, and advance efforts to grow the number of HBCUs achieving Carnegie Research 1 (R1) classification.
Virginia State University is among 15 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) named as founding members of the Association of HBCU Research Institutions (AHRI), a national coalition designed to accelerate world-class research, expand institutional capacity, and elevate HBCU leadership in addressing society’s most pressing challenges, including increasing the number of institutions achieving Carnegie Research 1 (R1) classification. Currently, only one HBCU holds R1 status.
As a founding member of AHRI, VSU will play a key role in advancing cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research, expanding policy influence, and driving transformative discoveries at scale. Through this collaboration, member institutions will work collectively to strengthen research capacity, enhance institutional infrastructure, increase funding opportunities, support faculty recruitment, and expand student access to research and career pathways.
In 2025, Virginia State University achieved R2 status (Research 2: High Research Spending and Doctorate Production), marking a significant milestone in the University’s growth in research and graduate education. This designation places VSU among a select group of doctoral institutions nationwide recognized for high research activity.
AHRI is supported by a strategic partnership with the Association of American Universities (AAU), where its offices will be co-located, and a three-year, $1 million grant from the Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery (H&LS) Initiative. Harvard University’s Office of the Vice Provost for Research will also provide technical assistance.
“We are privileged to leverage our expertise in research infrastructure and capacity-building to help strengthen the foundation for HBCU research excellence and support more institutions on the path from R2 to R1 status,” said Sara Naomi Bleich, Ph.D., vice provost for special projects at Harvard.
“The H&LS Initiative’s growing portfolio of partnerships with HBCUs has shown how transformative these collaborations can be for students and faculty. This new partnership with AHRI will build on that success and further expand the opportunities and recognition for premier HBCU research institutions.”
Virginia State University’s participation in AHRI reflects its continued commitment to advancing research excellence, expanding opportunity, and addressing critical challenges facing communities locally and globally. Through this collaboration, VSU is well-positioned to elevate its research enterprise, strengthen partnerships, and prepare the next generation of scholars, innovators, and leaders to make a meaningful impact in an increasingly complex world.