The American Council on Education on Thursday announced the university has been designated a “Research 2: High Spending and Doctorate Production” institution for the 2025 Carnegie Classifications.

“This is a major achievement for Texas Woman’s ¯ one that strengthens our core missions of teaching, research and service,” said Holly Hansen-Thomas, TWU’s vice
provost for research, innovation & corporate engagement. “This elevates our stature, increases our opportunities for research and experiential learning, and boosts our ability to attract and retain talented faculty and students.”

Universities with high research activity typically draw more federal and private research funding to the institution, and make it more attractive to scholars who wish to participate in research programs, Hansen-Thomas said.

“Teaching, discovery and innovation have a circular relationship and are integral to the academic enterprise,” TWU Chancellor Carine Feyten said. “Achieving this
designation is a testament to Texas Woman’s commitment to enhancing the university experience for our students and faculty.”

By adding research activity, the university can foster more student-faculty interaction, enhance undergraduate and graduate education, spur interdisciplinary collaborations, and support more engagement with the community.

The designation is determined through the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education system, which reviews approximately 3,900 U.S. institutions every three years. Currently, 139 universities are classified as “R2” under the Carnegie system.

Universities must have research expenditures of at least $5 million annually and confer research doctorate degrees to no fewer than 20 PhD candidates per year to be eligible for the “R2” designation.

In fiscal year 2023, the National Science Foundation reported through its HERD survey that Texas Woman’s achieved $6.9 million in total research expenditures and
conferred 233 research doctorates.