Kean University on Thursday officially earned an R2 research university designation under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education — a significant milestone in Kean’s rapid transformation into a premier research institution and another plus for higher education in the state.
The designation means Kean is now recognized among the top eight percent of colleges and universities nationwide for research and doctorate production.
Kean joins Montclair State, Rutgers-Camden, Rutgers-Newark, Rowan, Seton Hall and Stevens as R2 schools in the state.
Rutgers, Princeton and NJIT are the state’s three R1 universities.
The Carnegie Classification system is an indication of the amount of research being done at a university. Kean earned the R2 distinction because its research expenditures exceeded $10 million during the 2022-2023 fiscal year, and Kean awarded 26 research doctorates during that time, meeting the Carnegie criteria for R2 classification.
Kean President Lamont Repollet, who has been pushing research since his arrival in 2020, obviously was thrilled.
“Reaching this tremendous milestone has been my goal since I became president, and I am incredibly proud of our faculty, staff and students who helped make it a reality,” he said.
“This status is a shared accomplishment that reflects Kean’s strengths and our commitment to academic excellence. We are building a research culture that will shape the future of Kean and drive meaningful change for our students and communities.”
Read More: https://www.roi-nj.com/2025/02/13/education/kean-earns-prestigious-r2-research-classification/