Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed
Reclassifying Higher Ed: Will the New Carnegie Groupings Change the Race for Prestige?
Apr 1, 2025
Mushtaq Gunja, Executive Director of the Carnegie Classification Systems and Senior Vice President at ACE, leads a critical discussion on the transformative changes to the Carnegie Classifications. He delves into how these new groupings aim to prioritize student access and earnings. The conversation uncovers the potential impact on institutional behavior, funding strategies, and the race for R1 status. Gunja also addresses the challenges of measuring outcomes and the need for clearer metrics to promote equity in higher education.
50:21
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Quick takeaways
- The new Carnegie Classifications will prioritize student access and earnings, shifting institutional focus from prestige to actual student outcomes.
- By aligning funding with these classifications, institutions may adjust their strategies to improve both access and post-graduation success for diverse student populations.
Deep dives
Revamping Carnegie Classifications
The Carnegie classifications are undergoing significant changes aimed at creating a more multidimensional categorization of colleges and universities. Traditionally, institutions were grouped based on the highest degree awarded, but this method has led to a narrow understanding of higher education, promoting an arms race for prestige. The new classifications include specific categories, such as R1 and R2 for research institutions, which require distinct research benchmarks, thus allowing a broader range of institutions to accurately identify their status. Additionally, a complementary classification focused on student access and earnings will offer insights into how well institutions serve underrepresented and low-income students.
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