Carnegie Mellon University

Goals for the University Community

The Carnegie Mellon community is made up of highly talented students, faculty, staff, alumni and families from all over the world. As individuals, we have many kinds of creative talents and intellectual strengths; as a community, we are widely regarded as a place where people connect and collaborate across disciplines to solve critical societal challenges.

CMU is much more than the simple sum of our seven colleges and schools; it is a place that fosters the integration of deep scholarly expertise with innovation, entrepreneurship and human creativity. The university has a critical interest in supporting innovation and remaining renowned for entrepreneurial thinking and action. Creating responsive infrastructure to support the university’s teaching and research missions is an important step in CMU’s continued success as a community of learning and discovery.

Although we appreciate and celebrate the capabilities of social media and virtual connections, we also recognize the educational value of blending technology with face-to-face interaction for all members of our community; this can be manifested in instructional programs, design and use of space and facilities, enhancement of collaborative experiences and support for wellness and career-life balance.

Attracting and retaining outstanding, diverse talent remains a critical challenge for Carnegie Mellon, and continues to be a major area of focus for students, faculty and staff. Since the plan’s creation, CMU leadership has focused on creating a practical, effective process for recruiting and retaining women and underrepresented minorities, along with inclusive policies and practices that build a sense of community among people with many backgrounds, skills and strengths. There is more important work to be done as we strive to make the CMU community welcome to all.

Goal:  A Culture of Interdisciplinary Approaches to Problem-Solving

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Engage students, faculty and staff in meaningful interdisciplinary approaches to solving problems; provide students with the tools to integrate perspectives across boundaries, with an emphasis on deep disciplinary knowledge driving new thinking at the edges and intersections of traditional fields.

Goal: An Interconnected Network for Research and Creativity 

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Grow the research and creativity enterprise as a broad and interconnected network of exploratory activities, including creative endeavors, basic discoveries and translational innovations.

Goal: A Destination of Choice for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

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Make CMU the academic destination for faculty, staff, students and alumni seeking a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship with opportunities to learn, conceive, collaborate, launch and lead in new endeavors.