The City of Jacksonville and the University of Florida announced a new partnership on Tuesday that would bring a new graduate facility specializing in medicine, business and engineering to the city. 

Courses at this new facility would be offered nowhere else, providing new graduate education programs aimed at supporting the region’s growing workforce needs, specifically in biomedical technology and focus on pioneering technology related to simulation, health application and artificial intelligence, patient quality and safety, health administration and fintech, officials explained. 

Mayor Lenny Curry said that Jacksonville is proud to be home to major health institutions and specialty clinics, specifically drawing attention to UF’s proton therapy institute and looks forward to expanding on those roots. 

“Drawing on our robust network of fortune 500 companies and cutting-edge health facilities, we have pushed the boundaries of what is possible in the healthcare and tech fields,” he said. “To keep up with this growth, we must continue to invest in the infrastructure and talent pipelines that drive these industries.”

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Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry held a press conference Tuesday morning to announce a new partnership with the University of Florida. (Photo courtesy of the City of Jacksonville)

Building on UF and Jacksonville’s long-standing connections in healthcare, UF Board of Trustees Chair Mori called the agreement a “no-brainer.”

“Jacksonville, which is the fast-growing hub for financial technology, logistics and manufacturing recently was ranked by Forbes Magazine as one of the best places to live in Florida,” he said. “And, most importantly though, Jacksonville is filled with audacious people who have big dreams, big ideas.”

Between UF’s position as a Top 5 university in the country and Jacksonville’s standing as a globally recognized leader in the financial world, Hosseini said the offer is too good to pass up. 

Officials at the press conference said the project would cost a collective $100 million. Half of the money would come from City Council, which Mayor Curry plans to request through a three-year proposal, according to UF’s press release. The other half would be raised through private funding. 

UF President Ben Sasse, who began his term on Monday amid student protests, said though he was new to the job, he is grateful for the partnership. 

“This really is the kind of special community that pulls on oars together as one Jacksonville,” he said, referencing the slogan on the banner behind the podium. “The dynamism in the workforce and education space is going to continue to accelerate and we at UF are really excited about growing this partnership.”

Though the proposal is only in its infancy, city and UF officials each expressed their excitement about the potential addition to the city. Details at the press conference were sparse and with no schedule publicly released, the specifics are yet to be ironed out.

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University of Florida President Ben Sasse spoke during a Jacksonville press conference on Tuesday. (Photo courtesy of the City of Jacksonville)

Hosseini also said that they would be working with the University of North Florida, Jacksonville University and Florida State College at Jacksonville to bring the project to life. 

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