The NASA University Research Centers (URC) program is designed to achieve a broad-based, competitive aerospace research capability among the Nation's Minority Institutions (MI’s) that will:

foster new aerospace science and technology concepts;
expand the Nation's base for aerospace research and development;
develop mechanisms for increased participation by faculty and students of MI's in mainstream research; and
increase the production of socially- and economically-disadvantaged students, who are US citizens and who have historically been underrepresented, with advanced degrees in NASA-related fields.

The URC’s are multidisciplinary research units established at minority institution to focus on a specific area of NASA interest. Currently, NASA supports URC’s at 11 Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCU’s) and 3 Other Minority Universities (OMU’s). Summaries of recent results from URC research work are contained in the FY 2005 White House Performance Report.