IU Indianapolis recognized for research
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IU and Purdue split the former IUPUI campus in 2024. Photo: Arika Herron/Axios
IU Indianapolis has been recognized as one of the top research universities in the nation.
Why it matters: In higher education, research institution designations carry weight, and the new designation for IU Indy will give it a leg up in recruiting students, faculty and staff.
- "It takes our game one step above what it is now," IU Indianapolis chancellor Latha Ramchand told Axios. "We knew we had this caliber of research. This sends a message to everyone else."
Driving the news: The American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching announced an updated methodology for research activity designations last week, adding 41 universities to the highest tier of research institutions.
- The change was made to better reflect the work happening on campuses around the country and make clear how the classifications are awarded, the organizations said in a joint statement.
How it works: Research 1 institutions are now classified as those that spend at least $50 million in research and award a minimum of 70 research doctorates annually.
- In 2025, 187 institutions have been given a designation of R1.
Zoom in: IU Indianapolis is the newest Hoosier school to receive the designation and the only one in the city.
- The designation is based on data from the past three years when IU Indianapolis was still IUPUI.
- In fiscal year 2023, the most recent year reviewed, the campus spent $76.8 million on research and awarded 88 doctoral degrees.
- IU's Bloomington campus, Purdue's West Lafayette campus and Notre Dame already had (and have kept) the designation.
What they're saying: Ramchand said that, though the data was based on when the campus was still IUPUI, the newly separated IU Indy campus will maintain the designation going forward.
"From 2018 through 2023, we've grown our research expenditures by 47%," Ramchand said. " It's quite remarkable. There's no turning back."