Blogs

With support from Lumina Foundation, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), Transforming Post-Secondary Education in Mathematics (TPSE Math) and the Association for Undergraduate Education at Research Universities (UERU), invite R1/R2 research universities to apply to participate in Project EMBER: Eliminating Mathematics Barriers through Evidence-based Reforms. Project EMBER is a national initiative designed to help research institutions improve student success in introductory mathematics courses, which remain one of the most significant barriers to degree completion and persistence in STEM. Institutions are invited to apply to ...

The following is a message from PebblePad, a UERU Equity/Excellence Champion Partner. PebblePad invites UERU members to sign up for exclusive events offering actionable insights and solutions to today’s employability crunch. Today’s graduates are facing a serious and increasingly urgent employability shortfall. For instance, only 30% of 2025’s graduates found jobs in their field while 56% of unprepared graduates say their biggest gap is in job ‑ specific skills. Such numbers reveal a profound transitional problem for graduates as they attempt to move from study into work—so how can institutions ensure students ...

Fort Collins, CO – The Association for Undergraduate Education at Research Universities (UERU) is proud to partner with the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) on a major research initiative aimed at addressing one of the most persistent barriers to college completion: introductory mathematics courses. This project will improve evidence around the scope and nature of this barrier, as well as examine effective strategies to reduce high failure rates in these critical gateway courses. At research universities, introductory mathematics courses often post DFW (drop, fail, withdraw) rates exceeding 30%, significantly impacting students’ ...

July 25, 2025 - UERU is pleased to announce a new strategic partnership with PebblePad, the ePortfolio for Higher Education. PebblePad is dedicated to helping educators deliver student-centered learning and nurture future-ready graduates by transforming how learning is designed, experienced and assessed. PebblePad will be UERU's first Equity-Excellence Champion Partner, a designation that facilitates deeper collaboration between the two entities in support of UERU's mission to transform undergraduate education at research universities. UERU and PebblePad will jointly participate in events, produce shared resources, and engage in conversations with UERU members ...

January 17, 2025 – U.S. research universities conduct cutting-edge inquiry to help meet the world’s greatest challenges. Central to the success of these institutions are undergraduate students: the future scientists, scholars, and leaders who will help our society advance. Longstanding efforts to expand access to higher education have created new opportunities for students – yet more work remains to ensure equitable outcomes for all. The Association for Undergraduate Education at Research Universities (UERU) marks its 25 th anniversary with the launch of the Shirley and Bob Kenny Founders Fund to support research university leaders and their teams who ...

January 15, 2025 - The Association for Undergraduate Education at Research Universities (UERU), hosted by Colorado State University, will convene to discuss implementation of the new National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) recommendations for equitable and effective teaching in undergraduate STEM education. The event, which will take place on January 24 at Howard University in Washington, D.C., will feature higher education leaders and STEM pedagogy experts who will make the case for action to the assembled research university leaders. Undergraduate students pursuing STEM disciplines are more likely to succeed when their learning is ...

Earlier this week, UERU launched its new website and upgraded online community. With this upgrade, we now have a blogging feature. Although I’m not a blogger, I thought I would give it a try by sharing my reflections on the University of Pittsburgh’s 7 th annual Mentoring and Advising Summit last Friday, March 8. This virtual summit convened more than 2,500 mentors, advisors, coaches, and administrators from 130+ institutions/organizations around the globe. There was truly something for everyone at this event, as the sessions ranged from “big picture” strategy to the minutiae of advising practice. Dr. Amelia Parnell, VP for Research and Policy at ...