A Preeminent Christian Research University
What does the world need Baylor for?
That’s a question that generations of faculty, staff, students and alumni have considered as they strive to pursue excellence and meet needs around them. That pursuit has guided Baylor from humble beginnings as a pioneering Texas university to its present status as a global research university.
A meaningful portion of the answer can be found in the University’s increased focus on high-level research that addresses global needs in health, the environment, technology and more. Baylor is distinct as the largest Protestant university recognized as R1 (Research 1), the highest designation for elite research institutions in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
What does the idea of a preeminent Christian research university mean in practice?
“Grounding our purpose in the words of Matthew 5:14-16, we are committed to shining God’s light across our campuses, in our community, in Texas and the United States and around the world so others might ‘see our good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven,’” Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., says. “Baylor has been intentional in setting the course for greater global engagement and impact.”
Throughout campus, Baylor faculty and students are utilizing their God-given gifts and passions to address the world’s greatest challenges through research. Their work and its impact are “Baylor in Deed” to those who benefit from those efforts. Just a few recent examples can be found in faculty and students who are:
- Protecting future water resources
- Generating leads for the next generation of cancer-fighting drugs
- Developing sustainable, cost-effective technologies for rapid U.S. defense repairs
- Guiding communities as they build resources for their citizens’ health
- Preserving and advancing the study of Black Gospel music for future generations
Further, Baylor researchers are advancing the largest global research project ever to study human flourishing, highlighting the importance of ethics amidst rapid growth in technology and AI, and serving those with physical limitations like blindness to open pathways for their inclusion in science.
Elite research grounded in a biblical call to serve is a combination that impacts neighbors close to home and around the world — a reach reflected in the University motto, which reads Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana, Pro Mundo: “For the Church, for Texas, for the World.”
What does the world need a Christian university like Baylor for? More than ever before, the answer to that question is found in actions — students, faculty and alumni shining their light around the world through people-centered research that truly makes a difference.
In the words of President Livingstone, “We feel like that action orientation is important. That being a Christian research university is not just theoretical, it's not just academic, but it actually has an impact and will make a difference in the world, in people's lives, and in communities and beyond.”