UAB is one of only 277 universities and colleges in the United States to have received the designation since 2006.The University of Alabama at Birmingham has been awarded the 2026 Community Engagement Classification by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching — a recognition that recognizes UAB’s deep commitment to meaningful partnerships that benefit both the university and the broader community.

“UAB’s commitment to community engagement deepens the meaningful partnerships that shape both our campus and our city,” said Paulette Dilworth, Ph.D., vice president for access and engagement. “Earning this designation is a powerful affirmation of our shared dedication to advancing knowledge, strengthening collaboration, and improving the lives of people across the UAB and Birmingham communities.”

UAB is one of only 277 universities and colleges in the United States to have received the designation since 2006. 

According to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, community engagement for higher education institutions is the partnership of college and university knowledge and resources with those of the public and private sectors. This partnership can “enhance scholarship, research and creative activity” and “contribute to the public good.”

“The institutions receiving the 2026 Community Engagement Classification exemplify American higher education’s commitment to the greater good,” said Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education. “The beneficiaries of this unflagging dedication to public purpose missions are their students, their teaching and research enterprises, and their wider communities.”

The CE Classification is awarded following a process of self-study by each institution. The classification has been the leading framework for institutional assessment and recognition of community engagement in United States higher education for 19 years. UAB can apply for the reclassification in 2032.