Enriching the human experience, Achieving a just and equitable society, optimizing health, supporting sustainable energy and environments and culture of collaboration - graphic

Strategic Priorities Plan Initiatives

The VCU Strategic Research Priorities Plan (SRPP) fosters our transdisciplinary culture across our diverse campuses and disciplines to produce transformative innovation with public impact. We collaborate to bring creative solutions where others see boundaries. The breadth of our scholarship across disciplines addresses local challenges with our community partners to deliver bold and practical solutions with global implications.

VCU SRPP FY26 internal funding opportunities

More funding opportunities

A circular VCU infographic showing “Culture of Collaboration” at the center with four priority areas: Enriching the Human Experience, Optimizing Health, Advancing Societal Wellbeing, and Supporting Sustainable Energy and Environments. Around the circle are related research fields such as aging, infectious diseases, mental health, children’s health, cancer, sustainability, AI, robotics, materials s

Research clusters

VCU tackles societal and global challenges through a powerful transdisciplinary approach, integrating basic, applied, and translational research with a team science focus. This collaborative model breaks down barriers, supporting human discovery and leveraging expertise across 16 defined research clusters. These strategic clusters maximize impact by defining interdisciplinary focus areas and incorporating innovations like AI.

Learn more about VCU SRPP research clusters

VCU SRPP research clusters one pager

All VCU SRPP initiatives are supported by our common fundamental goal of a 

Culture of collaboration

Kayaking on the James River

The VCU Strategic Research Priorities Plan (SRPP) aligns with our mission and our vision and was built on the university and health system's

Quest 2028: One VCU Together We Transform