Carnegie Mellon University

Overview

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a renowned private research institution recognized as one of only 25 universities to join the World Economic Forum’s Global University Leaders Forum. Founded in 1900 by industrialist Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools, it became the Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1912. Later, in 1967, it merged with the Mellon Institute of Industrial Research to form the present-day CMU.

With the motto "My heart is in the work," CMU is dedicated to fostering close collaborations between faculty and students to tackle scientific, technological, and societal issues, ranging from arts to robotics. The university has made notable contributions to brain science, data innovation, startups, and autonomous vehicle research. CMU is also credited with inventing the "smiley" emoticon in an email, created by Professor Scott Fahlman in 1982.

CMU's community includes over 13,000 students from 114 countries and a faculty of more than 1,400 members. Known for its focus on innovation, CMU has ranked first among U.S. institutions in startup creation per research dollar spent, according to the Association of University Technology Managers (2008-2012). Many CMU graduates go on to work at leading global companies. In addition to its Pittsburgh and Silicon Valley campuses, CMU has an international presence with a campus in Doha, Qatar, and offers degree programs across Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and Latin America.