Today marks another leap forward in Jacksonville’s growth as an innovative technology hub and city with world-class education opportunities that equip its workforce with the skills needed to lead the future. The University of Florida Board of Trustees Governance Committee voted to open the new graduate campus in the area surrounding the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center, which is the City of Jacksonville’s recommended location. A full board vote is scheduled for Friday.
 
The first classes are planned to start by the fall of 2026. Additionally, the highly coveted Florida Semiconductor Institute will be located on the Jacksonville campus. It’s part of a national effort to improve research and development of semiconductor chips, the building blocks that power defense and aerospace technology, smartphones, computers, automobiles, and many other products that are necessary for daily life. This work will lower the costs of this essential technology while improving America’s national security by reducing the reliance on foreign manufacturing. It has received $80 million in state funding, and it’s expected there will be additional federal support.
 
“We are excited to partner with the University of Florida to make this campus a reality,” said Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan. “The City of Jacksonville is committed to being on the cutting-edge of workforce development and building a thriving downtown where our citizens can learn, live, work, and play. This campus and the degrees that will be offered are another monumental step towards Jacksonville being a national leader in the industries that will shape our collective future.”
 
“UF has a bold vision for our campus in Jacksonville. This will be a site that will give our students an opportunity to learn and thrive in a fast-growing city with incredible job opportunities,” said University of Florida Board of Trustees Mori Hosseini. “Our goal is to create a national center of excellence and to bring our bright students to this forward-thinking city. We are grateful for our strong partnerships with the state, city, and community leaders – we are going to do big things together.”
 
“Our expansion into Jacksonville is exciting, especially as new companies continue to move to the area and look to hire outstanding talent,” said Interim UF President Kent Fuchs. “The workforce-oriented graduate programs we’ll be offering will help build tomorrow’s leaders and positively impact the state’s economy. Jacksonville – like UF – is on the forefront of innovation. This is a place where our students will create great change and help transform the industries of the future.”
 
The graduate degree offerings are currently being finalized. Programs being considered include a professional MBA program, a Master’s in Management with a concentration in AI, a Master’s in Engineering Management with a concentration in Data Analytics, a Master’s in Computer Science with concentrations in AI and Cybersecurity, a Master’s in the Study of Law, and a Master’s in AI in Biomedical and Health Sciences. Enrollment and course offerings will continue to grow in the years that follow.
 
The Deegan Administration will work with the Downtown Investment Authority and City Council to provide 22 buildable acres at this site to the University of Florida for the campus – with the goal of design, planning, and construction beginning as quickly as possible in 2025. With the Florida Semiconductor Institute secured, the administration will propose $50 million of funding to span four years starting in the next fiscal year, in addition to the $50 million committed by City Council in the spring of 2023 and which is already budgeted. Mayor Deegan believes it is important for Jacksonville to invest in the projects that will bring the greatest return for our citizens. This partnership with UF is one that will have an enormous impact on our city for generations to come.
 
The addition of the UF graduate campus will turbocharge the LaVilla neighborhood. It joins a variety of projects that demonstrate the significant progress being made to revitalize downtown Jacksonville, such as: the Pearl Square development from Gateway Jax, Stadium of the Future, Museum of Science and History, Four Seasons, Related Group and RiversEdge developments on the Southbank, completion of the Emerald Trail and riverfront park system, transit-oriented development planning around the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center, and the eventual return of passenger rail to downtown.