UAB becomes first Alabama university in Association of American Universities

The University of Alabama at Birmingham has accepted an invitation to join the Association of American Universities. This move makes UAB the first institution in Alabama to become a member of the organization.

The announcement was made this week. UAB and Georgetown University are the first new members added to the group since 2023. The total number of institutions in the association now stands at 73.

The Association of American Universities was founded in 1900. It evaluates universities based on the breadth and quality of their research and education. Current members include Johns Hopkins, MIT, and Stanford.

UAB President Ray L. Watts noted that the university’s research spending grew from $379 million in 2013 to more than $915 million. Watts stated that this increase represents work that goes beyond the campus.

“UAB has significantly increased its research portfolio in recent years, and President Watts often reminds us that research expenditures don’t just represent dollars, they represent saving and improving more people’s lives,” said University of Alabama System Chancellor Sid J. Trant.

AAU President Barbara R. Snyder said the new members will contribute to advances in medical treatments, agriculture, and national defense. She expressed a desire to work with UAB and Georgetown to improve higher education and drive American research.

UAB employs more than 37,000 people through the university and its Health System. The Health System operates 15 hospitals. The university offers more than 180 degree programs and has had its largest freshman classes in two consecutive years.

According to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research, UAB’s School of Health Professions ranks ninth nationally for National Institutes of Health funding. The School of Nursing ranks 11th, the School of Dentistry ranks 15th, and the Heersink School of Medicine ranks 28th. Twelve departments and divisions within the Heersink School of Medicine are also ranked in the nation’s top 25.

UAB Provost Janet Woodruff-Borden said the membership reflects the university’s excellence in both education and research. She noted that the university has invested in growth through its Research Strategic Initiative and Student SUCCESS initiative.

Other Southeastern universities in the association include Duke, Emory, Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, the University of Florida, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.