Florida International University
EN-10: Inter-Campus Collaboration

Florida International University (FIU) is a member of the Florida Climate Institute (FCI), a multi-disciplinary network of national and international research and public organizations, scientists, and individuals concerned with achieving a better understanding of climate variability and change. In addition to FIU, FCI member universities include: Florida A&M University (FAMU) Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Florida State University (FSU) University of Central Florida (UCF) University of Florida (UF) University of Miami (UM) University of South Florida (USF) Over 200 individual affiliates, including university researchers and representatives from government and industry, have joined FCI. The Florida Climate Institute (FCI) fosters interdisciplinary research, education, and extension to: - Improve our understanding and the impact of climate variability, climate change, and sea level rise on the economy, ecosystems, and human-built systems; - Develop technologies and information for creating opportunities and policies that reduce economic and environmental risks; and - Engage society in research, extension and education programs for enhancing adaptive capacity and responses to associated climatic risks. To address the needs of climate stakeholders, the FCI will: - Develop and disseminate climate change and climate variability scenarios and datasets. - Use climate change information to build resiliency and adaptive capacity at a variety of spatial scales. - Enhance understanding of the interrelationships among climate, natural resources, ecosystems, and society. - Develop improved methods, technologies, and decision support systems for addressing risks and opportunities that arise from climate variability and climate change. - Promote and support effective partnerships between universities and stakeholders. - Disseminate science-based information on regional climate change and associated societal response options to a diverse audience. https://floridaclimateinstitute.org Florida International University, the University of South Florida, and the University of Central Florida have formed a unique partnership to help drive the state’s economic development by sharing certain resources and creating efficiencies among the state’s three largest metropolitan research universities. By forming the Florida Consortium of Metropolitan Research Universities (FCMRU), the institutions hope to increase the number of degrees awarded in high-demand areas, raise the six-year graduation rate for minority students, increase the number of graduates employed in Florida and raise the salaries graduates earn. Representatives for each of the three universities will come together to share best practices and seek ways to advance their goals. The three universities currently serve nearly 50 percent of the students enrolled in the State University System and are based in areas making up of nearly 65 percent of Florida’s population, including 70 percent of the state’s minorities. Through this partnership, USF, FIU and UCF believe the number of degrees awarded can be increased by 12 percent and salaries of graduates can be increased by 10 percent. The universities also aim to increase the six-year graduation rate (FTIC) for minority students by four percentage points.

Organizations that FIU partners with to advance sustainability includes the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the Environmental Education Providers (EEP) of Miami, the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), and the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), various Chambers of Commerce in the South Florida Region, and The CLEO Institute. In the past, FIU was a member of the Educational Alliance for a Sustainable Florida (EASF), which is now inactive. EASF serves as a hub of post-secondary sustainability efforts enabling professionals to share best practices, tackle challenges and expand their efforts through facilities, curricula and campus and student engagement activities. The Florida Universities are exploring the option of revitalizing the group.