The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) has received the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification for the third time, highlighting its ongoing efforts to connect academic research and teaching with community needs. This national recognition is awarded by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching to institutions that demonstrate a strong commitment to community engagement.
UCLA’s work includes wildfire and climate research, mobile health clinics for underserved populations, and numerous collaborative projects involving local partners. The university integrates these efforts into hundreds of courses and research activities each year, aiming to address challenges across Los Angeles and beyond.
“This designation affirms our longstanding, universitywide commitment to community-engaged research, creative activities, teaching, outreach and service,” said Shalom Staub, assistant vice provost and executive director of the UCLA Center for Community Engagement. “This recognition belongs first and foremost to the faculty, staff and students whose collaborative partnerships with community and tribal organizations, nonprofits, schools and governmental agencies have generated shared knowledge, trust and impact.”
Staub led the application process along with Michelle Caswell, advisor to UCLA’s executive vice chancellor and provost on community-engaged scholarship. The process required detailed documentation of programs aligning with UCLA’s mission.
Through initiatives such as UCLA Connects and its strategic plan goals, the university seeks to deepen engagement with both local and global communities. The Center for Community Engagement supports course development focused on social impact in partnership with various organizations.
Students at UCLA have worked alongside K–12 schools, clinics, nonprofits, government agencies, Native American tribes, veterans groups and others. These collaborations expand access to health care services, support educators and caregivers, inform policy on issues like voting rights or post-fire recovery efforts in Los Angeles, promote housing stability and mental health resources, and contribute to economic growth. Globally, UCLA researchers have participated in projects bringing clean water to African villages, combating human trafficking and preserving rainforests.
UCLA has a long history of community involvement dating back more than 50 years. In 2007 it was among the inaugural recipients when the Carnegie Foundation first introduced this award for outstanding community-based curricula. The university was recognized again in 2015.
In this most recent cycle, 237 institutions earned the classification—joining 40 classified in 2024—for a total of 277 colleges currently holding this distinction. Other University of California campuses recognized include UC Davis, UC Riverside and UC Merced.
“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.”
UCLA operates as a major public research institution serving tens of thousands of students through diverse academic programs across its Westwood campus in Los Angeles [source]. It emphasizes generating knowledge for societal benefit while promoting diversity within its community [source]. The university is part of the University of California system [source].
