Jahanian Says This Moment is Tailor-Made for CMU

Carnegie Mellon University President Farnam Jahanian(opens in new window) emphasized during his 2026 State of the University address that CMU is uniquely prepared to meet the challenges facing higher education.

“If there is one university built for a moment like this, it is Carnegie Mellon,” he said. “Our strength has always come from the same place: working at the intersections of disciplines — especially at the nexus of technology and humanity — to turn ideas into impact.”

Jahanian discussed public perception of higher education while acknowledging the “structural headwinds” affecting CMU and other universities. The rapid evolution of AI, increasingly scrutinized values, a shrinking pool of college-age students, geopolitical forces affecting international student enrollment, and pressures on federal investments in research and education.

“Individually, any of these headwinds would require us to adapt. Collectively, they demand a bold transformation of higher ed,” he said.

Make Possible 

Transformation begins with a solid foundation. The success of the Make Possible(opens in new window) fundraising campaign, for example, allows the university to attract and retain exceptional talent by creating 72 endowed professorships — supporting established and emerging faculty.

New academic and research initiatives — everything from the arts and humanities to science, technology and entrepreneurship — were also created through funds raised in the campaign. 

It advanced CMU’s commitment to promoting access and affordability through programs like Tartan Scholars(opens in new window), CMU Pathway(opens in new window) and the CMU Rales Fellows(opens in new window) programs.

The student experience and student health and wellness investments were enhanced through a lead gift from Highmark Health which resulted in the opening of the Highmark Center for Health, Wellness and Athletics. The facility brings together physical and mental health services, fitness and recreation, and varsity athletics — all under one roof.

Through the Make Possible campaign, CMU has invested over $1 billion in state-of-the-art educational and research facilities that foster collaboration, spark innovation, and reflect the dynamic spirit of CMU.

These include the David A. Tepper Quadrangle, TCS Hall, Scaife and ANSYS halls.

“These facilities are more than just new buildings,” Jahanian said. “They signal a bold new era of what’s possible at Carnegie Mellon.”

Making ‘big bets’

Over its 125-year-history(opens in new window), Carnegie Mellon has continuously evolved, anticipating and helping to shape the future.

“We have a history of making big, strategic bets when it matters the most,” Jahanian said. “So, the question is not whether we can navigate the moment, it is how boldly we will lead the transformation of higher ed in the coming years.”

He highlighted several recent examples, including the AI Science Foundry(opens in new window), which combines AI, automation, robotics and computational workflows with large-scale computing, data storage and access to experimental facilities.

Now under construction, the Richard King Mellon Hall of Sciences(opens in new window) will bring together biological sciences, chemistry and the Neuroscience Institute(opens in new window), all in one complex.

Additionally, CMU recently celebrated the opening of the Robotics Innovation Center to create a collaborative ecosystem for robotics, automation and artificial intelligence. And, the university launched Learnvia, a CMU-affiliated nonprofit learning collaborative dedicated to improving outcomes in high-enrollment college courses with the potential to transform the academic and career trajectories of hundreds of thousands of learners nationwide.

Financial strength supports agility and resilience

CMU is financially strong as it looks ahead, according to Jahanian, earning a credit rating score of “Aa1” from Moody’s financial services company, equivalent to the “AA+” credit rating score from S&P Global Ratings.

“This strength matters because it gives us the capacity to invest in our people, our students, our research and the physical environment that supports all these three things,” he added.

Undergraduate financial aid remains one of CMU’s highest priorities, with $166.3 million budgeted this year to cover 80% of all undergraduate aid.

Jahanian called the university’s endowment the “structural support” that allows the institution to adapt to change. CMU draws about 9% to 10% of its annual budget from the endowment each year, compared to an average of 18% to 25% at other institutions.

Research expenditures at Carnegie Mellon total more than $727 million, a “reflection of the momentum and impact of CMU’s research enterprise,” Jahanian said, with about $456 million supported by federal funding and increases from industry and nonprofit investments.

CMU has seen record growth in research and support from industry partners, including leading companies and organizations like BNY, PNC, Amazon, Bosch, Google, Microsoft, PwC and NVIDIA, as well as forward-looking philanthropic foundations.

Recent admissions cycle reflects confidence in CMU

Carnegie Mellon remains extraordinary sought after. The university's selectivity rate is 12%. This rate has been stable for the past five years, having dropped significantly from over 30% 15 years ago.

“This is a striking level of demand — similar to previous years — and it reflects an enduring confidence in what CMU offers to our students,” he said.

Jahanian noted that while there’s been some softening of international graduate applications on the Pittsburgh campus, CMU received around 14% more domestic applications compared to this same time last year.

“Students are seeking out CMU to begin their education. But they are also seeking us out to deepen their expertise, conduct research and prepare for leadership in highly specialized fields,” he added.

Pointing again to the success of the Make Possible campaign, Jahanian talked about the 456 scholarships and fellowships created to support students. Additionally, he noted, fewer CMU students are using federal loans to afford their CMU degrees, now around 25% down from 60% in 2018.

“We have made great progress in helping every deserving student have a pathway to accessing and affording a CMU education,” he said.

Supporting holistic student development

Beyond the classroom, Carnegie Mellon continues to invest in initiatives to equip students with the skills to navigate an increasingly complex world.

The university launched a yearlong paid leadership program last week in partnership with The Viewpoints Project. This new program builds on existing opportunities established in recent years such as the Center for Informed Democracy and Social-cybersecurity, the Commission on Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression, Democracy Day and Deeper Conversations.

“At Carnegie Mellon, we are deeply intentional about the kind of community we are building — one that supports our students, faculty and staff as scholars, as individuals, and as engaged citizens,” he said. “This programming has never been more important.”

Jahanian also shared that the President’s Advisory Board on Student Well-Being(opens in new window), made up of experts and scholars from across the country, will deliver an assessment and recommendations in the coming weeks, which will complement similar directives from 2019 and 2016.

“Our investments in both new programs and new facilities have helped us extend the academic experience beyond the classroom and support the development of the whole student — mind, body and spirit,” he said.

Well-being across the global community 

As a global university, Carnegie Mellon is not insulated from the challenges unfolding around the world. At Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar’s campus, out of an abundance of caution, instruction has been remote since March 1 and leadership continues to monitor developments in the region closely and work closely with the U.S. Embassy.

Reinforcing his message to the campus community last week(opens in new window), Jahanian provided a brief update on CMU-Q, and reflected on the values guiding the university community during this difficult time.

“In moments like this, we’re reminded of what defines Carnegie Mellon at its best: a global community grounded in empathy, respect and care for one another,” he said. “Across all of our campuses, we take pride in preparing students to see beyond borders and grow as global citizens — and this aspiration calls on all of us to engage one another with openness, humility, curiosity and care for each other.”

The future of work

On all campuses, shifting demographics are reshaping the CMU’s workforce. Jahanian said the university has more Gen Z employees than ever before, and he announced a new program that will allow eligible staff of all ages to take up to 15 hours per year to volunteer with nonprofit or public service organizations during the workday.

“This is a meaningful step in supporting staff volunteerism and also recognizing the important role CMU plays in our broader societal fabric,” he said.

CMU leadership is also reviewing the current workforce flexibility guidelines which remain in effect until August, according to Jahanian. The university asked about 350 university managers and leaders to complete a detailed survey, and about 2,000 faculty and staff members shared feedback in a recent human resources survey. Once CMU leadership completes an assessment of that feedback, it will issue an update in the next several weeks, he said. 

Jahanian also confirmed employee merit increases for the upcoming fiscal year, adding that direct communication will be sent about it in late June.

A ‘profoundly CMU opportunity’

For decades, research universities like CMU have worked with the federal government to help create new knowledge, enhance national security, catalyze economic prosperity and fuel breakthrough technologies — from the internet to life-saving medical treatments. 

And while that system is under pressure right now, according to Jahanian, Carnegie Mellon’s core strengths are well-aligned with national priorities, including AI for science, physical AI including robotics, energy and cybersecurity, among others. And they give CMU a “first-mover advantage,” Jahanian said.

“It’s profoundly a CMU opportunity,” Jahanian said. “We already have many of the right ingredients: extraordinary talent, deep credibility in AI and automation, a culture of collaboration, strong scientific leadership, and, of course, a track record of building new things when the moment demands it.”

“We have assets — intellectual, institutional and reputational — that give us a credible path to remain competitive, and provide us a position such that we’re stronger in partnerships, more disciplined and aligning investments with opportunities,” he said.

There are enormous opportunities for CMU, Jahanian said.

“Carnegie Mellon is not standing still. We’re adapting. We’re asking hard questions. We’re making thoughtful investments. And we are doing so with a clear sense of our mission and our values,” he said. “Higher ed is going through a transformation … CMU is well-positioned to lead that transformation.”