Florida International University or FIU established in 1965, Florida Senator Robert M. Haverfield introduced Senate Bill 711, which instructed the state Board of Education and the Board of Regents (BOR) to begin planning for the development of a state university in Miami. An abandoned airfield is an unusual place for the birth of a university. But in the summer of 1969, founding FIU president Chuck Perry gathered three leaders who would help him create his vision.

Butler Waugh, Donald McDowell and Nick Sileo joined the 31-year-old Perry at Tamiami Airport and set up shop in the former air traffic controllers’ tower. The tower had no phones, no drinkable water and no furniture. President Perry decided that the control tower should never be destroyed and so it remains standing today at the center of campus, as FIU’s Ivory Tower. From that single building on that abandoned airfield, FIU has grown to be one of the largest universities in the country. The spirit of entrepreneurship born on that summer day thrives at today’s FIU.

Designated as a top-tier research institution, FIU emphasizes research as a major component in the university’s mission. The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and the School of Computing and Information Sciences Discovery Lab are just two of many colleges, schools, and centers that actively enhance the university’s ability to set new standards through research initiatives.

For over four decades, FIU has positioned itself as one of South Florida’s anchor institutions by solving some of the greatest challenges of our time. We are dedicated to enriching the lives of the local and global community. With a student body of nearly 54,000, we are among the top 10 largest universities in the nation and have collectively graduated more than 200,000 alumni, 115,000 of whom live and work in South Florida.

From the top of the globe to the ocean’s floor FIU researchers are exploring the toughest challenges of our time: sea level rise, childhood mental health disorders and more. This solutions-center approach is why FIU is designated a Carnegie Very High Research institution, the only public university in South Florida to achieve this distinction. Explore the fringes of space, work to improve the health of our community’s most underserved populations or defend the accused in a court of law. FIU offers more than 190 degree programs – many available online – so that you’ll be ready for wherever the future takes you.

Florida International University is Miami’s public research university and is focused on student success and research excellence, with nearly $200 million in annual research expenditures. The Next Horizon campaign is furthering FIU’s commitment to providing students Worlds Ahead opportunities. Today FIU has two campuses and multiple centers including sites in Qingdao and Tianjin, China and supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian – FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida – FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA with more than 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. The university has awarded more than 330,000 degrees to many leaders in South Florida and beyond.

Location

Miami, Florida (USA)

From suburban Miami-Dade, home to our main campus, to where our researchers live underwater and see the world from a new perspective, our locations leverage the vibrant environment and culture that surrounds us at the Gateway to the Americas.

But our international approach doesn’t end in this hemisphere. On the other side of the globe, our Tianjin, China, partnership invites more than 1,000 of our students every year to experience a new culture as they gain a deeper understanding of hospitality and tourism management. Meanwhile, our renowned museums and cultural institutions feature arts, music and entertainment that reflect the diversity of our region – and beyond.

Get lost in the 342-acre city block that is Modesto A. Maidique Campus. Sit on the sandy shores of Biscayne Bay Campus. Or explore any one of our 4 satellite locations across South Florida. With a student body of 54,000, we make sure there’s something for everyone here. There are also 300+ Academic associations, honor and professional societies, cultural organizations and interest groups.

FIU 2 campuses:

• Modesto A. Maidique Campus (MMC)
• Biscayne Bay Campus (BBC)

School & Faculty

• College of Arts, Sciences & Education
• College of Business
• Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management
• College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts
• College of Engineering and Computing
• Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
• Honors College
• FIU College of Law
• Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences
• Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work
• Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs