Advancing Our Intellectual Footprint

The Goal

Our goal in the coming decade is to be a premier residential research university, internationally recognized for research excellence and a distinctive student experience. At the core of this goal is our ambition to transform Lehigh University by advancing our intellectual footprint. Achievement of this goal will be evident in enhanced academic stature and greater student success.

The Plan

Our strategic plan has four components:

  1. Addressing Grand Challenges and National Needs in Strategic Areas of Focus
  2. Investing in Faculty and Staff: A Strategic Expansion
  3. Providing a Best-in-Class Experience: Promoting Student Success through Core Competencies and Student Engagement
  4. Partnering in the Renaissance of the Local Community

Lehigh University is among those few institutions that have an opportunity to provide a unique higher education by combining the research university with the student-centered residential college. We are distinctive in having both a campus setting and core strengths similar to a liberal arts college, as well as strong programs in business, engineering, sciences, and education.

We will guide Lehigh's drive to be a premier residential research university through the following strategic areas of investment where what we do has a significant impact on the world and our students' ability to compete in that world:

We want Lehigh to be known as a leader in learning, a leader in innovation, and a leader in creativity.

To accomplish this, our strategic plan provides opportunities for all faculty, staff, and students to capitalize on their strengths and maximize their skills. The plan is thus about people and culture, and enhancing our roles and work to amplify our mission of teaching, research, and service. We will transform our campus culture as we reshape our university's identity.

A Foundation to Build Upon

Lehigh is founded on the belief that the nation needed an educated workforce. Our founders understood that this required combining a scientific and classical education, with an orientation toward making a contribution to society.

It is from this foundation that we now focus our attention on national and world needs of the 21st century. We incorporate Lehigh's culture of rolling up our sleeves and tackling hard problems into our goals for the coming decade.

We benefit from the investments of those who worked and contributed to Lehigh in the past, including our extraordinarily dedicated and loyal alumni. Recognizing the remarkable asset our alumni represent, we seek ways to make their connection to the university flourish. We also recognize that key decisions by previous leaders and the pivotal contributions of donors have shaped the Lehigh we strive to advance.

Alumni Memorial Building