The Office of the Provost is responsible for ensuring excellence in the academic mission of the University at University of Massachusetts Amherst in the areas of discovery, education, and public service. The overarching responsibility of the chief academic officer is to advance the academic mission.
The Provost works closely with the deans of the schools and colleges, department heads and chairs, and other senior leadership to provide undergraduate and graduate educational programs of the highest quality and to support the faculty’s efforts to advance knowledge, engage in creative activity, and serve the Commonwealth, the nation, and the world.
A key priority of the Provost is to recruit, retain, and support an outstanding and diverse faculty.
Mission
"The University's mission is to provide an affordable and accessible education of high quality and to conduct programs of research and public service that advance knowledge and improve the lives of the people of the Commonwealth, the nation, and the world."
Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
An elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Dr. Abd-El-Khalick is a leading international science education researcher whose scholarly contributions on teaching and learning about nature of science have earned him the National Association for Research in Science Teaching’s top lifetime achievement honor, the 2022 Distinguished Contributions to Science Education through Research Award.
Academic Affairs Leadership
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University of Massachusetts Amherst is one of the nation's top research universities as measured by national and international rankings, academic citations, and research funding. Engaged in research and creative work in all fields, we are classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a doctoral university with the “highest research activity” or R1.
UMass Amherst incorporates innovative teaching methods involving new communication and information technology, yet remains an immersive, residential campus offering students a comprehensive array of academic programs. With a long-standing commitment to social progress and social justice, we value diversity and equity and strive for inclusive excellence in our classrooms, research labs, dorms, and beyond.