Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University embodies the transformation of Pittsburgh from an industrial town to an international center of knowledge and innovation like no other. Founded in 1900 by industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, Carnegie Mellon began as Carnegie Tech, a place for the children of Pittsburgh’s workers to study practical arts and sciences. Carnegie’s vision transformed Pittsburgh into the Silicon Valley of its day, creating a region renowned for its industrial leadership. Today, Pittsburgh is once again at the forefront of innovation, with Carnegie Mellon driving new industry and new job creation, and earning an international reputation as an economic engine.
Ranked 21st in the world by the London Times Higher Education Supplement, Carnegie Mellon stands among the world’s elite top-tier global universities and is well known as a leader in developing the next generation of technologies and solutions that address society’s most pressing challenges — from cybersecurity to green chemistry to health care. Carnegie Mellon’s academic promise to enrich society is evidenced by decades of research contributions that have advanced global economies. Our faculty and students shape the world and impact people’s daily lives through education and research in areas such as international monetary policy, central banking, public policy, energy, environmental economics, and the arts.
Carnegie Mellon faculty and alumni are behind an almost endless list of “firsts” — the first computer that could think, the first large-scale Internet search engine, the first robotics institute, just to name a few. Many of the university’s big ideas continue to shape the world today.
During his 12 years as Carnegie Mellon president, Jared L. Cohon has expanded the university’s global presence exponentially. The university offers 16 degree programs in 12 countries, including its campus in Doha, Qatar. Nearly one-third of the university’s students are from outside the United States, representing more than 100 nations and giving Carnegie Mellon one of the largest international student populations in this country. Carnegie Mellon also boasts an influential, global alumni base in nations such as China, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and the United Kingdom, among many others.
In Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon is responsible for creating more than 200 companies and 9,000 jobs during the last 15 years. Today, the university is one of the region’s economic drivers, largest employers and centers of innovation, bringing cutting-edge companies and jobs to Southwestern Pennsylvania. In 2008, Disney chose Carnegie Mellon as one of two locations in the world for its research labs. Carnegie Mellon’s Collaborative Innovation Center is the only building in the world where Google, Intel, Apple, and a Microsoft-sponsored research lab live under one roof.
As we move forward into the next century, Carnegie Mellon students, faculty, and alumni will continue to lead the next generation of innovations in a global economy.