UF Board of Trustees unanimously approves LaVilla site for new high-tech grad school campus in Jacksonville (Courtesy of WJXT Channel 4) –The University of Florida Board of Trustees unanimously approved a site in the LaVilla neighborhood for its new graduate campus on Friday.
The new graduate campus in Jacksonville, home to the Florida Semiconductor Institute, will be in the area surrounding the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center.
The first classes are planned to start by the fall of 2026.
“We are excited to partner with the University of Florida to make this campus a reality,” Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan said in a news release after the vote. “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.”
The Fairgrounds near EverBank Stadium and the Downtown campus of FSCJ were also named as possible locations for the permanent campus. The Fairgrounds was not a likely option since Jaguars owner Shad Khan now owns that property.
The graduate campus will offer courses in artificial intelligence and technology. Semiconductors, more commonly known as microchips, are an essential component in the fabrication of electronic devices, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association.
UF will offer multiple graduate degrees and enroll up to 1,000 students.
The total cost to build the brand-new campus is expected to be around $300 million. The city of Jacksonville plans to give the school $50 million over the next four years.
The city said the school is 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.
Proponents say the work will lower the costs of the essential technology while improving America’s national security by reducing the reliance on foreign manufacturing. The school has received $80 million in state funding, and it’s expected there will be additional federal support.
“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 said it will work with the Downtown Investment Authority and City Council to provide 22 buildable acres at the site to the University of Florida for the campus – with the goal of design, planning, and construction beginning as quickly as possible in 2025.
The city said 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.