The campus would build on UF’s and Jacksonville’s long-standing connections in health care, providing new graduate education programs aimed at supporting the region’s growing workforce needs in biomedical technology and focused on pioneering technology related to simulation, health applications of artificial intelligence, patient quality and safety, health care administration and fintech.
“Jacksonville has become a leader in both fintech and health care innovation. We have a robust network of Fortune 500 Companies and cutting-edge health facilities, like UF Health, Wolfson’s Children Hospital and the Ackerman Cancer Institutes,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said. “We are excited about the possibility of hosting this University of Florida expansion to foster opportunity, a talent pipeline, and further grow our region’s industry.”
Curry invited UF to expand its presence in Jacksonville, which currently is grounded in UF Health Jacksonville. As a part of the next steps in this partnership, he will bring a three-year, $50 million proposal to the Jacksonville City Council. UF and community leaders will seek an additional $50 million in private support.
“We’re excited to grow our historic partnership with Jacksonville through exploring what we envision as a new campus designed for the strengths of this unique city,” said Mori Hosseini, chair of the UF Board of Trustees. “We’re confident we can create incredible synergies by joining UF’s strengths as a top-five public flagship university with Jacksonville’s rising stature as national health care and technology hub.”
Although UF has had long-standing specialty and subspecialty graduate medical education programs at the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville, the plans call for bringing revolutionary approaches to training the health care professionals of tomorrow to the local Jacksonville area, including a regional UF Health campus.
Next steps include UF and city of Jacksonville officials working with Jacksonville’s education, business, medical and community leaders to determine the most critical academic needs and opportunities for the regional workforce.
“UF is Florida’s flagship university, and we’ve got a special calling to serve Floridians,” said UF President Ben Sasse. “We have a lot to discover and to learn together, but there’s real potential for UF to add to Florida’s skilled workforce, attract new private investment and support existing growth industries. Jacksonville is doing some impressive things and it’s an exciting time for Gator Nation.”
About the City of Jacksonville: The City of Jacksonville is the largest city by land mass in the contiguous United States, serving approximately 900,000 residents. Located in Duval County, City of Jacksonville leadership includes the mayor and a 19-member City Council. .
About the University of Florida: The University of Florida attracts the best and brightest students, staff and faculty, places them together and connects them with world-class resources to spark extraordinary discoveries and innovations. UF’s momentum is reflected in the university’s designation as a top-five public university by U.S. News & World Report. Artificial intelligence is a centerpiece at UF, spanning all disciplines so that every student has the opportunity to acquire competence and expertise in AI. The University of Florida is a place where limitless potential meets boundless opportunity through teaching, research, scholarship and service to the state, the nation and the world.
About UF Health: University of Florida Health, part of one of the nation’s top 5 public research universities, is a world-class academic health center that combines leading-edge research at campuses around Florida with outstanding clinical care at a network of hospitals around the state. The flagship is UF Health Shands Hospital, with 10 adult and pediatric specialties ranked among the nation’s elite top 50 programs in the 2022-2023 U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals and Best Children’s Hospitals surveys. That’s more than any other hospital in Florida. UF Health consists of six health colleges, 10 research centers and institutes, 10 hospitals — including two teaching hospitals and five specialty hospitals — three veterinary hospitals, and a host of physician medical practices and outpatient services.
The backbone of UF Health is a talented and dedicated workforce of more than 29,000 faculty and staff who provide lifesaving care and research breakthroughs for more than 3 million patients who come to UF Health each year from around the U.S. and more than 31 countries. UF Health is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities as part of the state’s “safety-net’’ hospital system, caring for people who have little or no medical coverage. Annually, UF Health contributes more than $4.6 billion to Florida’s overall economy. Our mission is to promote health through outstanding and high-quality patient care, innovative and rigorous education in the health professions and biomedical sciences, and high-impact research across the spectrum of basic, translational and clinical investigation. Visit www.UFHealth.org to learn more.