About UERU

Who We Are

The Association for Undergraduate Education at Research Universities, or UERU (pronounced you-roo), is a national consortium of R1/2 research university leaders with expertise in the theory and practice of undergraduate education. UERU includes a robust network of Undergraduate Vice Provosts/Presidents (UVPs) -- strategically positioned leaders who work collaboratively with their colleagues to advance equity and excellence in undergraduate education.

In addition, UERU:

  • Fosters connections across units in academic affairs,
  • Helps members stay current and forward-thinking, and
  • Enlists leaders in common projects to meet the challenges and opportunities facing undergraduate programs.

Origins

UERU was originally inspired by the 1998 Boyer Commission Report, Reinventing Undergraduate Education: A Blueprint for America's Research Universities, and has since sponsored the Boyer 2030 Commission Report, The Equity-Excellence Imperative: A 2030 Blueprint for Undergraduate Education at U.S. Research Universities (University Press of Colorado, 2022). Both challenge research university leaders to pursue a new model for undergraduate education designed to help undergraduate students thrive in the research university context. 

Mission

The Association for Undergraduate Education at Research Universities (UERU) is dedicated to achieving excellence and access in undergraduate education by sharing and developing expertise across member institutions and other higher education organizations. 

  • 125 members and counting (up 140% in the past 5 years)
  • ~3 million undergraduate students served
  • 24 UERU members classified as Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), including 4 of 11 eligible Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
  • 75% of universities with very high research activity are UERU members
  • 78% of Association for American Universities (AAU) members are also UERU members

To learn more, check out our most recent UERU Impact Report:



2024 Impact Report

Learn more about UERU's logo and the artist behind it.



UERU's Logo History



Vision

As a member-driven organization, the Association for Undergraduate Education at Research Universities (UERU) serves as a catalyst for innovation to advance excellence and access in undergraduate education at leading research universities. UERU pursues its vision by:

  • Promoting the cooperative exchange of information and ideas among members through national meetings, programs, and online discussions, as well as regular meetings of senior undergraduate leadership (the UVP Community);
  • Developing and maintaining exclusive information databases and repositories that serve UVPs at member institutions;
  • Serving as an agent of change and dissemination for innovative practices that promote excellence in undergraduate education at research universities;
  • Advocating for the distinctive value of undergraduate education at research universities and for the common mission implicit among them; and
  • Fostering the development of multi-campus projects, and inter-organizational cooperation that furthers the core purposes of the Association for Undergraduate Education at Research Universities.

Learn More About Joining UERU