Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Carnegie Grants R2 Status to East Texas A&M

  • By Matt Jones
  • 02/20/25

East Texas A&M University in Commerce, Texas, recently announced that it has been designated a Research 2 (R2) institution by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, according to a news release. The R2 designation took effect on February 13 and marks the university’s commitment to research and innovation among both the Texas A&M University System and universities around the country.

The news release reports that requirements for R2 institutions include awarding at least 20 research doctoral degrees annually and showing at least $5 million in total research and development spending. East Texas A&M reported an average of 64 research doctoral degrees per year between 2020 and 2023, and it spent over $7 million on research in 2023.

The designation comes after years of positioning the university toward that goal by educating faculty and staff on research and grant opportunities and strengthening university research infrastructure. The university reports that as of 2025, there are a total of 139 R2 institutions in the U.S. Of those, 16 are in Texas.

“This prestigious designation for East Texas A&M University shows that investing in faculty and facilities really pays off,” said John Sharp, chancellor of The Texas A&M University System. “This is the return on investments made by the Texas Legislature and the Texas A&M System's Board of Regents. This success reflects a focus on growing research budgets at all 11 universities in the Texas A&M System.”

The university held a ceremony to celebrate the milestone on Friday, Feb. 14.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Dallas ISD Voters Approve $6.2B Bond Package

    Dallas ISD voters have approved a record-setting $6.2-billion bond package that district leaders say will modernize aging campuses, eliminate portable classrooms and reshape learning environments across one of the nation’s largest school systems.

  • Nashville Elementary School Receives LEED Gold Certification

    Goodlettsville Elementary School, part of Metro Nashville Public Schools in Nashville, Tenn., recently achieved LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), according to a news release. The 81,750-square-foot school opened in 2023 and was designed by Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC).

  • Spaces4Learning Announces 2026 Product Award Winners

    Spaces4Learning has just announced the winners of the 2026 Product Awards! The award program spotlights outstanding product development achievements of manufacturers and suppliers whose products or services are considered to be particularly noteworthy in their ability to enhance K–12 and higher-education learning environments.

  • UTampa Breaks Ground on STEM Academic Facility

    The University of Tampa in Tampa, Fla., recently broke ground on one of its largest academic facilities ever, according to a news release. The Dickey Science Innovation Center will measure 153,000 square feet and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.