University of Georgia President Jere W. Morehead announced that resources have been set aside for the 2026-2027 Presidential Faculty Hiring Initiative.
The initiative focuses on strategic faculty hires that strengthen the university’s research enterprise while also expanding instructional capacity to meet growing student demand.
Proposals will be selected based on their potential to advance the university’s strategic priorities. In total, the initiative will support the recruitment of up to 34 new faculty members across two funding tracks.
The research priority track will focus on recruiting faculty whose work aligns with key areas of research emphasis, including artificial intelligence-enabled agriculture, food systems and robotics; One Health, infectious disease, antimicrobial resistance and precision population health; and energy, materials, bioeconomy and advanced manufacturing.
Up to 24 positions are available in the research priority track.
The instructional priority track targets non-tenure track, full-time faculty. This portion of the initiative is intended to grow the total faculty ranks serving undergraduate and graduate students. Particular emphasis will be placed on strengthening undergraduate instruction in gateway science courses that support pre-health and nursing pathways.
Up to 10 positions are available in the instructional priority track.
Units with successful proposals will be notified in the coming weeks. Selected faculty will be expected to join the university beginning Aug. 1, 2027.
The initiative continues UGA’s longstanding investment in strategic faculty hiring to enhance the student learning environment and recruit faculty who advance the university’s teaching, research and service mission.