ASU ranked as most innovative school in country for third straight year

PHOENIX — For the third year in a row, Arizona State University has been placed atop a list of the nation’s most innovative schools released this week.

U.S. News and World Report said the rankings were based on a survey of college presidents, provosts and admissions deans. Those leaders were asked to determine the school making the most innovative changes in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities.

“Our colleagues at colleges and universities around the country are very interested in what we’re doing, and they pay close attention to all that we have been able to achieve,” ASU President Michael M. Crow told ASU News after the rankings were announced.

“They know that all the cool stuff is going on at ASU.”

The other schools in the top five of the innovation list were Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Georgia State University and Carnegie Mellon University.

ASU has topped the list since it was introduced in 2015.

However, as in past years, a high ranking on the innovation side of things does not equal a stellar overall rating.

ASU came in tied for 115th place in the overall rankings. It tied with Iowa State University, Temple University, the University of Kansas and the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota.

There was one bright spot on the overall list for Sun Devils, however: Rival school the University of Arizona came in at No. 124.

Northern Arizona University was not ranked.

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