During its quarterly board meeting on May 20, the Georgia Research Alliance added Georgia Southern University and Kennesaw State University to its network.

They will join Georgia’s leading universities in research and entrepreneurship, bringing the total to 10 public and private institutions dedicated to maximizing the research capabilities of the state.

GRA said both universities have had significant momentum in funded research, and they are poised to soon be designated as “Research 1” institutions under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

“I’ve been a big believer in the Georgia Research Alliance since my days as governor because I’ve seen exactly what it can do for our economy,” a statement from Sonny Perdue, chancellor of the University System of Georgia, said. “Welcoming Georgia Southern University and Kennesaw State University onto the GRA team is a home run.”

Perdue, a former governor, said the designation “not only raises the research profile of our entire university system but, more importantly, puts real economic horsepower into more communities, creating a flywheel effect that keeps generating new growth and prosperity.”

That will drive innovation into homegrown companies and high-wage jobs, being a victory for the entire state, Perdue added.

Tim Denning, GRA’s president and CEO, called it the most important announcement during his tenure with the alliance, which includes the university presidents, top business leaders and state officials.

“It really expands our network and reach across the state,” Denning said during the May 20th quarterly board meeting of the organization. “We are not the Atlanta Research Alliance or the Athens Research Alliance. We are the Georgia Research Alliance.”

Denning called both Kennesaw and Georgia Southern “highly collaborative” institutions that would be part of GRA’s DNA to encourage universities to work in concert to advance Georgia as a center for technology and research.

The State of Georgia’s FY27 budget, which was signed by Gov. Brian Kemp on May 12, includes $2 million to establish two new endowed chairs for GRA Eminent Scholars. Georgia Southern and Kennesaw State, each of which is projected to generate about $60 million in research and development expenditures in FY26, will each have an endowed chair to recruit a world-class researcher to Georgia.

Denning said he also appreciated the support of Gov. Brian Kemp and the General Assembly for expanding the FY27 budget to include the two new institutions.

As members of GRA, both Kennesaw State and Georgia Southern also qualify to join the GRA Core Exchange, a nationally unique program that allows researchers from any member university to access research equipment and facilities at fellow member institutions without paying external administrative fees.

“This is an ideal moment for Georgia Southern to join GRA,” said Kyle Marrero, president of the Statesboro-based university. “Our institutional momentum aligns closely with GRA’s mission to expand Georgia’s research capacity and economic competitiveness.”

Marrero said the GRA’s designation continues the institution’s trajectory of becoming “a nationally recognized public impact research university. She added that Georgia Southern is “committed to advancing innovation, developing talent and addressing the critical needs of Southeast Georgia through research that strengthens communities, drives economic development and improves quality of life across the region.”

Kennesaw State President Kathy Schwaig, who was unable to attend the May 20 meeting, said in a statement that the university “is deeply honored to join the Georgia Research Alliance and stand alongside peer institutions across our state in advancing the transformative impact of research.”

Schwaig described it as a moment that reflects KSU’s “sustained commitment to expanding our research capacity and to cultivating partnerships that connect discovery to real-world solutions.”

By joining the GRA’s distinguished network, Schwaig said Kennesaw is “eager to collaborate in new ways, contribute to Georgia’s growing innovation landscape, and further elevate opportunities for our students, faculty and communities.”

The addition of Kennesaw State and Georgia Southern to GRA brings the Alliance’s membership to 10 public and private research universities.

GRA’s other partner universities include Augusta University, Clark Atlanta University, Emory University, Georgia Tech, Georgia State University, Mercer University, Morehouse School of Medicine and the University of Georgia.

The Alliance, founded in 1990, has had a cumulative impact of more than $16 billion on the state’s economy, bringing in a 22-to-1 return on Georgia’s investment.

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