Florida International University
PAE-2: Strategic Plan

Florida International University has a history of excellence in research, education, and engagement in environmental fields. FIU’s location in Miami, one of the largest cities in the country, positions us to take a leadership position in urban environmental research. Miami’s location between the ocean and the Everglades provides opportunities for further development of our research strengths in wetlands, estuarine, and coastal ecology. Our location at the gateway to Latin America has led to our prominence in new world tropical ecological research. Our faculty and staff expertise is a strategic asset that enhances our reputation and generates substantial research funding. Development of our strength in environmental studies will ensure that our students are trained for jobs in the new green economy, and will establish FIU as a leader in explaining the dynamics of environmental systems and in developing solutions to environmental challenges locally, nationally, and around the world. Environmental knowledge is intrinsically interdisciplinary. It relies on basic and applied sciences and engineering to explain the dynamics of environmental processes; technology, planning, and management disciplines to develop and implement effective and efficient improvement strategies; and the humanities to clarify values and attitudes toward the environment. FIU is committed to providing the intellectual leadership needed to create a sustainable future for the South Florida region, and to make significant contributions in the environmental arena globally.

Florida International University’s founding mission to foster international understanding takes on new meaning in the twenty-first century age of globalization, as networks of communication and trade foster unprecedented integration of economies, societies, and cultures. FIU’s efforts in the international sphere are supported by our geographic location; the cultural and ethnic diversity of the South Florida community; the continued globalization of regional and national economies; and Florida’s desire to be a global leader in economic development in the twenty-first century. Our commitment to fostering an interdisciplinary, global perspective is a strategic asset that will ensure that our students will be prepared for jobs in the global economy. As Miami’s only public research university, FIU is committed to addressing the health challenges that face the South Florida region. FIU has a distinguished record of research on health disparities, drug and alcohol use, abuse and dependency and HIV/AIDS. The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and the Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work serve the community by educating health professionals and conducting applied research in health fields. By embedding engagement activities with teaching and research, FIU provides students with unique learning opportunities and improves health care in the South Florida region.

Florida International University’s founding mission to foster international understanding takes on new meaning in the twenty-first century age of globalization, as networks of communication and trade foster unprecedented integration of economies, societies, and cultures. FIU’s efforts in the international sphere are supported by our geographic location; the cultural and ethnic diversity of the South Florida community; the continued globalization of regional and national economies; and Florida’s desire to be a global leader in economic development in the twenty-first century. Our commitment to fostering an interdisciplinary, global perspective is a strategic asset that will ensure that our students will be prepared for jobs in the global economy.

Information submitted was taken directly from the FIU Worlds Ahead Strategic Plan 2010-2015. There was an update in 2012-2013 to the plan.