Academic and Research Centers

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has various academic centers that complement and enhance faculty research and academic efforts.

These Centers conduct research and surveys, evaluate programs and policy, consult with organizations on special projects, teach and train students and practitioners, and provide public services and information. The knowledge generated by the faculty and staff in the centers is widely disseminated to educate policy makers, scholars, service providers and the general public.

The work by these centers advances understanding in academic fields for the university, the state, the nation and the world.

Center Review

Academic and Research Centers are reviewed periodically, generally every 5-7 years. Many center reviews are combined with the corresponding academic program review. Others may be reviewed during the college accreditation process and some are reviewed by the college dean on a pre-determined timeline.

In the year following the center review, reports are prepared by the office of the vice chancellor with the cooperation of the deans office. Those reports are presented to the university president, the board of regents (BOR), and Nebraska’s Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education (CCPE).

What is a Center?

Academic Centers for Research, Teaching, and/or Service is a generic designation which applies not only to “centers” but also to all such entities such as those characterized as “bureaus,” institutes,” or designations other than colleges or schools. Such Centers require approval by the Board of Regents as stated in section 2.11 of the Bylaws of the Board of Regents if they meet all of the following criteria:

  1. Interdisciplinary breadth encompassing commitment of funding and faculty time from more than one department.
  2. An identifiable budget.
  3. Evidence that the multi-departmental center will more effectively achieve stated academic objectives than traditional departmental, school or college structures.

Establishing a New Center

A proposal for establishing a new academic center should be approved at the college level and then routed to the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor. The proposal should include a detailed description of the multi-departmental center function, justification, relevance to the University’s strategic plans, participating departments and faculty, administration, funding, formal name, and evidence that the multi-departmental center will more effectively achieve stated academic objectives than traditional departmental, school, or college structures. Download the format

Changes to an Existing Center

It is required for program changes, name changes, or the discontinuation of existing centers to go through the same channels of approval as required when establishing a new center. Please consult the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor at (402) 472-3751 or executivevcoffice@unl.edu to begin this process.

Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor

The Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor oversees the following centers including the preparation of center review reports that are reported to the University President.

Center NameAffiliated UnitsReview ProcessNext Review
Nebraska Public Policy Center University of Nebraska Executive Vice Chancellor 2024-25
College of Arts and Sciences
Bureau of Sociological Research Sociology APR 2030-31
Cedar Point Biological Station Biological Sciences Biological Sciences APR 2026-27
Center for Digital Research in Humanities Libraries POE renewal 2025-26
Center for Great Plains Studies review by CAS dean 2029-30
Center for Plains Humanities Alliance Center for Great Plains Studies review by CAS dean 2029-30
Center for Science, Mathematics, and Computer Education Mathematics APR 2030-31
Center on Children, Families, and the Law Law review by CAS dean 2024-25
Harris Center for Judaic Studies Classics & Religious Studies review by CAS dean 2023-24
Nebraska Center for Mass Spectrometry Chemistry Chemistry APR 2024-25
College of Business Administration
Bureau of Business Research Economics COB accreditation 2027-28
Center for Economic Education Economics COB accreditation 2027-28
Nebraska Center for Entrepreneurship Management COB accreditation 2029-30
Nebraska Council on Economic Education Economics COB accreditation 2025-26
College of Education and Human Sciences
Family Resource Center Child, Youth and Family Studies Marriage and Family Therapy accreditation 2023-24
Kit and Dick Schmoker Reading Center Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education & Special Education and Communication Disorders Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education APR 2027-28
Nebraska Center on Research for Children, Youth, Families, and Schools review by EHS dean 2025-26
College of Law
Nebraska Governance and Technology Center Law review by Law dean 2026-27

Office of Research and Economic Development

The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development oversee the following centers including the preparation of center review reports which are submitted to the University President by the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor.

Center NameAffiliated UnitsReview ProcessNext Review
Center for Biotechnology NRI Review 2024-25
Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior Review by VCR 2027-28
Center for Electro Optics (NRI) Review by CoE 2026-27
Holland Computing Center Computer Science APR 2026-27
Mid-America Transportation Center College of Engineering review by CoE 2025-26
Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research Review by VCR 2027-28
Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience NRI Review 2023-24
Nebraska Center for Plant Science Innovation Review by VCR 2027-28
Nebraska Center for Virology (with UNMC and Creighton) Review by VCR 2024-25
Nebraska Redox Biology Center (with UNMC) Agricultural Research Division and College of Arts and Sciences Review by VCR and ARD 2023-24
Nebraska Transportation Center College of Engineering Review by CoE 2025-26
W.M. Keck Center for Mesospin and Quantum Information Systems Nebraska Materials and Nanoscience Center review 2023-24

Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources

View the IANR Centers