The University of Pittsburgh joins the GFCC

Published on August 12, 2024

We're delighted to inform our community that the University of Pittsburgh has joined our group of esteemed university members. Pitt is an academic and economic powerhouse based in Pennsylvania, United States, consistently ranked as one of America’s top public research universities with over $1 billion in yearly research productivity and distinction as a  top-20 most-innovative university, Top 50 Best Global University, and Top Fulbright producer.

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Led by Chancellor Joan Gabel, Pitt hosts nearly 34,000 students and more than 15,000 faculty and staff members across five distinct campuses. Prof. Gabel's leadership has prioritized inclusiveness and impact through the development of the University’s first metrics-driven strategic plan and the creation of the Pitt Finish Line Grant, which provides just-in-time financial support for students nearing graduation.

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"Chancellor Joan Gabel is an exceptional global leader. With a long record of academic excellence. She is at the vanguard of a new generation of university chancellors and presidents defining anew the value of higher education. She has provided outstanding intellectual contributions to our community, including her participation in the GFCC-Council on Competitiveness COP28 Innovation Arena, as well as in our strategic role to articulate a future economic vision for Northern Ireland during last year’s 25th commemoration of the Good Friday Agreement. I know the GFCC will benefit from her insights and from her sharing the powerful example being set on campus at the University of Pittsburgh", says GFCC Founder and President Deborah L. Wince-Smith.

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"The University of Pittsburgh is thrilled to join the GFCC at such an important moment,” says Chancellor Joan Gabel. “Together, we look forward to accelerating this momentum and to amplifying our global innovation and impact.”​​​

 

Before joining the University of Pittsburgh, Chancellor Gabel served as the president of the University of Minnesota (U of M) System and Twin Cities campus. Under her leadership, U of M developed its first comprehensive systemwide strategic plan, which resulted in record-setting graduation rates and annual research expenditures, as well as unmatched startups, patents, and private giving, including the completion of a $4 billion capital campaign that exceeded its goal by 10%. Transformational partnerships, such as the NXT GEN MED program between the university, Mayo Clinic, and Google, have led to reimagined research and student opportunities. Prior to joining U of M, she served as executive vice president for academic affairs and provost at the University of South Carolina and as dean of the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business at the University of Missouri. She is the recipient of numerous research, service and teaching awards, including recognition as a Fulbright scholar and as a member of The American Academy of Arts and Sciences.