Harvard University is not a research university.
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge , Massachusetts , established in 1636 , whose history , influence , and wealth have made it one of the world 's most prestigious universities . Following the American Civil War , President Charles W. Eliot 's long tenure ( 1869 -- 1909 ) transformed the college and affiliated professional schools into a modern research university ; Harvard was a founding member of the Association of American Universities in 1900 . Harvard is a large , highly residential research university .