FIU Quickview Fall 2021 by FIU

Fast Facts Rankings Points of Pride & Latest News

QUICKVIEW FALL 2021

FIU plays a critical role in building Miami’s growing tech ecosystem

Top of the class FIU programs across the academic spectrum are ranked in the Top 50 among public universities, according to U.S. News & World Report rankings released in 2021.

International MBA

Master of Science in Criminal Justice

International Law

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Nursing Master’s Degree

Biomedical Engineering

Online Bachelor’s Programs

Public Health Graduate Program

College of Law (overall)

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FLORIDA RANKS FIU NO. 1 In June 2021, FIU was recognized for earning the top score in the state of Florida’s annual evaluation of its public universities. Among the 12 institutions of higher education, FIU scored highest on key metrics that include four-year graduation rate, retention rate, cost of attendance to students and employment of recent graduates. FIU’s score marked the highest ever achieved by a university (97 out of 100) since the inception of performance funding, which rewards high-achieving institutions for progress. “This historic top student success ranking score is the culmination of seven years of focused efforts that ensure each of our students reach their highest potential,” said FIU Provost and Executive Vice President Kenneth G. Furton. “It cements FIU’s reputation as a Top 50 university that has been recognized with national rankings in international business, law, nursing, public health, social mobility and environmental resilience efforts. This is a testament to the high quality of our academic programs, research and impact on our community.” Notably, Florida’s State University System in 2021 earned distinction as first in the nation for the fifth year in a row from U.S. News & World Report based on student success and affordability.

news.fiu.edu

$40 MILLION GIFT RECOGNIZES FIU AS AN ENGINE OF SOCIAL MOBILITY Philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott made a $40 million gift to FIU in recognition of the university’s record of graduating underrepresented students. “Higher education is a proven pathway to opportunity, so we looked for two and four-year institutions successfully educating students who come from communities that have been chronically underserved,” Scott wrote in an announcement. FIU is the No. 1 institution awarding bachelor’s and master’s degrees to Hispanic students in the U.S. and No. 6 in the nation in awarding engineering degrees to African Americans. The university has announced broad plans to use the money to bolster programs that focus on academic and career support. These include, among others, the STEM Transformation Institute, which prepares students to work or teach in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and the Mastery Math Lab, which offers an alternative to traditional lecture learning.

news.fiu.edu

DONATION BOOSTS FIU’S ROLE IN THE MIAMI TECH MOVEMENT A $10 million investment from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation is accelerating FIU’s role in the burgeoning South Florida tech industry. The newly named Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences—already the region’s leader in turning out tech graduates—will expand to meet the increased need for expert personnel as the area undergoes a tech boom. The Knight Foundation donation will be used to attract top faculty researchers in areas such as artificial intelligence, smart robotics, bioinformatics, biodevices and digital forensics as well as to strengthen collaboration with industry. The school is a leader statewide in federal research funding for computer science. The university has committed to pouring more than $100 million into the effort over the next decade.

“The workforce that we have here is young, incredibly talented, diverse, and competitive—[we] just need more of it. We hope to connect our public schools with [the] college programs so that we have a ‘K to college’ program in computer science.”

—Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, FIU alumnus

cis.fiu.edu

CIVIC LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE LAUNCHED The newly created Maurice A. Ferré Center for Civic Leadership honors the life and work of its late namesake, who served as mayor of Miami from 1973 to 1985, and will address the critical matters of preparing diverse leadership for public service and increasing civic participation for a stronger democracy. Created with an initial $2 million gift from the Maurice A. Ferré Foundation, the institute will be housed in the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs and Maurice A. Ferré (1935-2019) address a wide range is often credited as “the of issues championed father of modern Miami.” by Ferré throughout his distinguished public service career, including diversity, equity and social justice. Its work will focus on academic, research and community programs, which includes training and professional development throughout the community.

go.fiu.edu/ferre

NEW PARTNERSHIP POSITIONS FIU GRADS TO LEAD AT TECH FIRMS

FIU has joined with SoftBank Group International to prepare students to work at tech startups in South Florida after graduation. The SoftBank Operator School will be powered by FIU, Miami Dade College and the University of Miami. Featuring lectures by industry experts on topics such as go-tomarket strategies, data-driven decision-making and use of AI to scale up, the experience also includes capstone projects in which students solve real challenges at SoftBank portfolio companies, mentoring from the SoftBank team and an introduction to career opportunities inside SoftBank Group’s portfolio companies. “In the world of startups, access to talent and knowhow is central to success,” said co-founder and director of StartUP FIU Robert H. Hacker. “This partnership will provide our students an invaluable and rare opportunity to learn from leaders in the field.”

softbankmasterclass.fiu.edu

DIVERSITY RANKINGS PUT FIU AND MEDICAL SCHOOL AT THE TOP

Equal Opportunity magazine recognized FIU as a leading university for fostering a diverse and inclusive learning environment. The publication issued its annual Top 20 list in the spring of 2021 following a national survey. And U.S. News and World Report in 2021 named the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine one of the most diverse medical schools in the nation as part of its medical school rankings. Based on the number of minorities underrepresented in medicine who are enrolled, FIU ranked third most diverse among all U.S. medical schools. It ranked No. 12 in the category of “Most Graduates Practicing in Medically Underserved Areas.” The medical school welcomed its first entering class in 2009 with a stated mission to provide “an environment enhanced by diversity, clinical innovation and research” that “prepares socially accountable, community-based physicians, scientists and health professionals.”

dei.fiu.edu

DESIGN INNOVATION ON INTERNATIONAL DISPLAY FIU architecture professors showed off their work— created with the help of dozens of their students—at one of the most prestigious international art and architecture events in the world. The 2021 Venice Biennale featured exhibitions around the theme of communal life in the future. The FIU contingent took an approach that integrated the natural world into their designs. Among the projects displayed: “Ciudad Completa (The Complete City): La Palomera, recognition and celebration,” that brought to light the gardens found in the barrios of Caracas, Venezuela, which house some 260 species of plants used by residents for medicine and in cooking; another that integrated microbiology, biodiversity and architecture through a series of projections; and a third that aimed to “investigate and identify dynamics of change and engagement with nature” through 3D-printed artificial coral reefs designed to protect cities from storm surge and sea-level rise.

carta.fiu.edu

FIU ASSISTS RECORD NUMBER OF SMALL BUSINESSES FIU has served as a critical resource to the local small business community throughout the global pandemic. The Florida SBDC within FIU Business in 2020 provided nearly 21,000 hours of consulting services to more than 2,225 business owners—a doubling of its normal annual activity and number of clients—to develop strategies for recovery and set the stage for growth. Successes include: the securing of $95.2 million in capital and equity investments; the securing of $77.3 million in contracts for minority-owned businesses; and the launching of 60 new businesses. Additionally, the Eugenio Pino and Family Global Entrepreneurship Center within FIU Business hosted a record 70 training events with more than 4,200 attendees. And StartUP FIU continued to be a driver of economic development, attracting over $1 million in program funding from foundations such as Kellogg and Wells Fargo. The support ensured a 100 percent survival rate of its 65 momand-pop incubator companies, which saved nearly 150 jobs and attracted more than $11 million in new contracts. Funding also supported online programming to more than 3,000 local small businesses. Additionally, StartUP FIU helped secure more than $3.5 million in federal funding for 11 new companies commercializing university research, with another 10 in the pipeline. Finally, FIU students participated in the Venture Bites pitch competition, with two taking top placements, both of whom are now female founders of their own companies.

business.fiu.edu

startup.fiu.edu

STEM TRANSFORMATION INSTITUTE EARNS NATIONAL RECOGNITION FIU’s program in support of STEM students has received national distinction for helping those in underrepresented groups achieve their goals. For the second year in a row, the STEM Transformation Institute received an Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine for encouraging minority students to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. FIU is the largest producer of STEM degrees for Hispanics in the United States, and the institute is leading improvements in the recruitment and retention of other underrepresented groups such as women and African Americans. Initiatives developed by the institute have led to a significant increase in four-year graduation rates for STEM majors at FIU, and retention of STEM majors has increased in recent years from 78 percent to 90 percent.

stem.fiu.edu

1 Carnegie Classification Doctoral R1 Research University—Very High Research Activity $237M Research expenditures FY 2020 270,000+ Alumni 58,000+ Students 200+ Bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs

189 U.S. patents secured over three years 107 Invention disclosures FY 2021 among the top public universities # 95 Ranking in the United States 11 Colleges and schools including medicine and law ranking within Florida’s State University # 1 Performance System as determined by the Florida Board of Governors (U.S. News & World Report)

FIU.EDU

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FIU Division of Strategic Communications, Government and External Affairs Modesto A. Maidique Campus, PC 519, Miami, FL 33199