Aspirational Statement Two: Compelling Scholarship

Baylor will be a community recognized for Compelling Scholarship... Where research discoveries illuminate solutions to significant challenges confronting our world and where creative endeavors reflect the breadth of God's creation.

Baylor's most distinctive characteristic is its identity as a research university with a strong Christian commitment. Our Christian perspective offers unique insights into issues such as social responsibility, health care, economic growth, human rights, poverty, diversity, sustainability, and, more fundamentally, our understanding of our identity as human beings within the created order.

Faculty and students at Baylor are dedicated to joining the national and international community of scholars and artists in exploring the manifold issues and creative possibilities at the forefront of human discovery.

Evidence of this dedication is found in the significant increases in scholarly productivity during the past decade. The increased visibility of our research and creative endeavors is, in part, the result of significant investments in needed infrastructure, including a state-of-the-art science facility, and collaborative partnerships that have enhanced electronic and physical library collections. Furthermore, we continue to expand our research capabilities with the development of the Baylor Research & Innovation Collaborative (BRIC). Still, much work remains in order to position Baylor as a Carnegie-classified Research University with Very High Research Activity.

With respect to this aspiration, we will:

Produce research and creative work at the highest levels, providing opportunities for study and collaboration, as well as outstanding facilities and technology, and a supportive infrastructure;
Increase opportunities for students to engage in research with faculty in all phases of the discovery process, enhancing connections between teaching and scholarship;
Expand the development and display of creative works that inspire consideration, celebration, and stewardship of God's creation;
Raise the scholarly profile of our faculty, as evidenced by increased publications, citations, awards, and externally funded research to approach the profile of Carnegie Foundation's Research Universities with Very High Research Activity;
Augment external research funding and forge new collaborations with industry through such strategies as the creation of select centers of excellence within the BRIC; and
Participate in local, state, national, and international conversations regarding society's greatest challenges, offering perspectives informed by our faith, scholarship, and call to Christian service.