The Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities (HSRU) has expanded its national network with the addition of five new members, bringing the total number of institutions to 27. These universities are both Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and classified as R1, which represents the highest level of research activity according to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. “We are delighted to welcome these five institutions to the HSRU Alliance,” said Cynthia Larive, chancellor of the University of California, Santa Cruz and chair of the HSRU Alliance. “Their addition strengthens our collective capacity to support all students in pursuing advanced degrees and contributing to the national research landscape.”
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The five new member institutions are:

Four of the new members, Florida Atlantic, New Mexico State, San Diego State, and UC Merced, recently attained R1 status and join the Alliance as they expand their research efforts. The University of California, Davis enters the Alliance following its designation as an HSI by the U.S. Department of Education. Together, these institutions represent a growing group of public research universities committed to strengthening access to graduate education and broadening participation in the research enterprise.

Founded in 2022, the HSRU Alliance supports collaboration among member institutions with a shared focus on fostering academic pathways, increasing participation in research, and aligning graduate education with long-term opportunity. The Alliance brings together universities that understand both the responsibility and the potential of translating undergraduate achievement into advanced study and professional leadership.

“At our core, we believe a strong undergraduate foundation should open doors to what comes next,” said Adam Hasner, president of Florida Atlantic University. “Florida Atlantic is proud to join our nation’s top research institutions to expand the opportunities and strengthen the partnerships driving innovation and economic growth. Research is one of Florida Atlantic’s core missions, and collaborations such as these enhance our ability to drive discoveries, advance social mobility, and address the needs of Florida’s workforce.”

“This expansion underscores the growing momentum among public research universities to create expanded pathways into graduate and doctoral education,” said Valerio Ferme, president of New Mexico State University. “As New Mexico’s first land-grant institution, our role is to provide educational opportunities to all our citizens, as well as develop the research and innovation that are at the core of the public service mission of a land grant. Achieving the highest level of research activity as an HSI allows us to say that we have fully integrated our original mission. We look forward to growing collaborations with the members of this alliance in our desire to expand opportunities in graduate education and strengthen our research partnerships.”

“Being part of the HSRU Alliance allows us to connect with institutions pursuing aligned goals. It is a chance to not only strengthen our graduate programs but to contribute to national progress in building a more connected and effective research community,” said Juan Sánchez Muñoz, chancellor of the University of California, Merced.

The HSRU Alliance emphasizes institutional collaboration while recognizing that each university brings unique strengths and regional context. Member institutions share practices, data, and approaches to strengthen advanced education and support student pathways across the academic continuum, from initial access to participation in graduate research.

About the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities
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The Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities is a voluntary association of universities that are both R1 research institutions and federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institutions. Through shared learning and collaboration, the Alliance works to increase the number of all students enrolled in and completing graduate and doctoral programs. Member universities coordinate efforts to support academic pathways, expand access to the research enterprise, and inform national strategies for graduate education. In addition to the five new members, current members of the Alliance include:
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Arizona State University
City University of New York Graduate Center
Florida International University
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Texas A&M University
Texas Tech University
The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at San Antonio
University of Arizona
University of California, Irvine
University of California, Riverside
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Cruz
University of Central Florida
University of Colorado Denver
University of Houston
University of Illinois Chicago
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of New Mexico
University of North Texas