Purpose: Establish the University of North Texas as an emerging leader among American universities that systematically integrate excellence, innovation, and access to transformative learning opportunities. As a public research university dedicated to creating enduring value for the public good, we will develop the potential of our students and UNT community members, discover new knowledge and insights of public value, and drive educational, cultural, and economic opportunities at scale for our region, state, and nation.

Focus Areas for 2026: Throughout 2026, we will build momentum in implementation of our shared vision and strategic priorities outlined in Look North: UNT 2030. While each college, school, and unit will carry our strategic plan forward through their initiatives and implementation plans, general areas of focus across the university will include:

  • Accelerate and deepen implementation of projects, initiatives, and processes that embody our commitment to empower student success from first engagement through career with innovative approaches to academic and career advising, curriculum and pedagogy, data analytics, digital learning, and career development.
  • Modernize our undergraduate curriculum to prepare students for future educational and professional success by refining our core curriculum, prioritizing development of durable and technical skills—including critical thinking, essential skills for civil discourse, and working with AI technologies—integrating career-aligned learning experiences into our academic courses and programs, and accelerating our graduates’ time-to-value.
  • Meet rapidly evolving regional workforce needs at scale by facilitating stronger labor market insights and collaborations among employers and higher education institutions, building closer UNT partnerships with key employers, and expanding access to high-demand professional, online, and UNT at Frisco programs.
  • Advance our role as the region’s largest R1 university by prioritizing interdisciplinary collaborations, graduate education, undergraduate research, and strategic investments in priority research areas. Focus new TUF research funding on bolstering current strengths, furthering state and regional priorities, and building new capabilities to facilitate innovation, entrepreneurship, and community and industry partnerships.
  • Update faculty merit, workload, promotion, and tenure criteria to recognize excellence in teaching, research, creative work, public service, and other contributions that advance our mission, values, and strategic priorities.
  • Refine strategic budgeting to promote efficiency, transparency, and predictability in university budgeting, improve alignment with our strategic priorities, stabilize unit and university budgets, and incorporate incentives that position the university competitively to secure new private, state, and federal investments.
  • Build robust support for our vision by raising UNT’s visibility as a leader in defining a new paradigm for research universities, increasing regional, state, and national awareness of our capabilities, contributions, and centers of excellence, and expanding fundraising, alumni relations, and corporate partnerships to generate enrollments and secure additional resources, including commitments for our $100 million Better Look North campaign.

Methods: To advance our public mission and compete successfully in these focus areas for 2026, we will: 

  • Elevate our organizational culture by putting our shared commitment to our core values into action, especially by developing and celebrating the talents, creativity, resilience, collaboration, continuous learning, and achievements of our students, staff, faculty, and alumni.
  • Establish new university structures and capabilities to promote effective and efficient university operations, transcend traditional academic disciplines, and bolster our capabilities in advanced student success analytics, corporate and community partnerships, and innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology transfer.
  • Build strategic partnerships with employers, community and technical colleges, universities, and others to expand access to and strengthen our academic and research programs, accelerate progress in our broad commitment to student success, and expand educational, cultural, and economic opportunities at scale.
  • Diversify and increase revenue by growing student enrollment—through recruitment and retention of FTIC, transfer, online, and professional students—and securing new private and public funding to enable strategic, recurring investments in competitive compensation, infrastructure, and university priorities.

Aim: Within the next five years, UNT will be recognized as a leader in developing the talents of faculty, staff, and especially of students who are prepared to thrive in a changing world, discovering knowledge and insights of public value, and driving economic and educational opportunities at scale for our region, state, and nation. Key indicators are outlined in Look North: UNT 2030, including 90% first-to-second year retention, graduation rates (65% 4-year, 80% 6-year), $250M annually in sponsored research, time-to-value, awards and recognitions, and career-aligned learning.