US$3 billion gift backs Carnegie Mellon’s expansion to Miami

Carnegie Mellon University has announced a US$3 billion gift from Citadel founder Ken Griffin to expand its teaching and research. Of that total, US$2 billion will support a new campus in Miami, while US$1 billion will go to its main campus in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university calls it the largest individual donation to a US higher-education institution.

The planned campus in Miami’s Wynwood neighbourhood would accommodate more than 3,500 undergraduate and postgraduate students, alongside about 300 faculty members and 600 staff. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the first students enrolling in 2028, subject to regulatory approvals.

The university plans to organise learning around major societal challenges rather than traditional degree programmes. Planned areas include human health, national security, energy and climate resilience, and advanced manufacturing. Artificial intelligence and robotics will also be part of the focus, extending fields in which Carnegie Mellon already has established programmes.

The gift also reaches beyond the new development. Half of the Pittsburgh allocation will support the university’s School of Computer Science. The remaining US$500 million will be available for wider university priorities, including financial aid for students. Specific programmes and operational details for Miami still need to be worked out before the campus welcomes its first students.