How Miami universities are embracing partnerships for growth

Key points:

• • Miami universities are deepening partnerships with industry, government, and communities.
• • Experiential learning and internships are aligning education with workforce needs.
• • Collaboration is driving research, innovation, and real-world impact across South Florida.

April 2026 — As Miami continues to grow as a global hub for business, innovation, and talent, higher education leaders are placing renewed emphasis on partnerships as a critical driver of impact. From collaborations with industry and government to community-based initiatives, institutions across the country are working to ensure that academic programs remain aligned with real-world needs while contributing to the region’s economic and social development.

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Today’s higher education landscape requires more than academic excellence alone; it demands meaningful engagement beyond the classroom. By integrating experiential learning, applied research, and cross-sector collaboration, institutions are preparing students to navigate an increasingly complex workforce while addressing pressing challenges across South Florida.

Higher education leaders in Miami, including Joel Samuels, provost of the University of Miami; Paul Pavlou, dean of the University of Miami Herbert Business School; Patricia Abril, dean of the University of Miami Law School; and William Hardin, dean of the FIU College of Business, shared their insights on the importance of education partnerships and what it means for their respective institutions.

Joel Samuels, Provost, University of Miami

For us, it is imperative to connect the work we do on our campuses in Coral Gables, on Virginia Key, and in downtown Miami to the lived experiences of communities across Miami and South Florida. That can show up through research partnerships, clinical services that meet community needs, and collaborations with public and private organizations that can translate scholarship into practical outcomes. Because of this approach, we are able to generate solutions that are both academically rigorous and practically meaningful – ensuring that the university contributes directly to the well-being and resilience of the communities we serve.

Philanthropic partnerships play a key role in advancing academic excellence and research growth, whether through individuals or foundations. They are a cornerstone for successful research and academic achievement. Strategically, major gifts help strengthen areas such as faculty recruitment and interdisciplinary research. We are fortunate to have philanthropic partners across Miami, the country, and the world who support the work we do here every day.

Paul Pavlou, Dean, University of Miami Herbert Business School

We place a strong emphasis on experiential learning and industry engagement. Recently, Forbes identified 15 business schools that excel in experiential learning and industry connections, and the University of Miami Herbert Business School was included in this coveted list. That recognition reflects how intentional we are about preparing students for the workforce.

I am a strong advocate for early internships, even at the freshman level. We encourage students to pursue summer opportunities early, and many are successful in doing so.

More broadly, we view industry not only as the customer of our talent, but as a co-developer of talent (our students). Instead of seeing employers only as end customers, we collaboratively work with them throughout the educational process. Through internships, real-world projects, and executive engagement, companies help define and help us develop the skills that matter to them.

Students graduate having completed multiple internships and applied projects, often evaluated by industry professionals. That benefits everyone. Students are job-ready, employers gain talent that can contribute quickly, and our business school stays aligned with market needs.

While we are deeply committed to serving the South Florida business community, our reach is broader. We maintain strong relationships in major markets across the United States and internationally, giving students the flexibility to pursue careers wherever they choose.

Patricia Abril, Dean, University of Miami Law School

Our students increasingly want to build their careers here, and that reflects the strength of the region’s legal ecosystem. One of our priorities is to continue strengthening partnerships with the local legal community so that students have clear pathways into the profession.

We also remain focused on innovation and student experience. Over the past year, the law school was named one of the Top 10 most innovative law schools in the country by the National Jurist. In addition, the Princeton Review ranked us No. 3 nationally for quality of life.

Creating an environment where students feel supported and intellectually curious is fundamental. If we can provide that foundation, students can flourish. From there, their success depends on their own effort and dedication, but our role is to ensure that the environment enables them to grow and succeed.

William Hardin, Dean, FIU College of Business

The university has a broad portfolio of partnerships, including major initiatives in cybersecurity. There’s an entire unit devoted to that area, supported by national funding, including from the Department of Defense. The College of Business benefits from that expertise by embedding cybersecurity risk management into our MBA program and offering a stand-alone master’s program in the field.

On the AI side, many of our private- and public-sector partners are still trying to understand what AI will mean for their operations. We work with them on strategy, helping them think through how to use the data they already collect, what new data they should gather, and which tools can help them become more effective and efficient. One example is a major government organization we’re helping to reimagine how they use their data to answer increasingly complex questions, even though their staff are not traditionally data specialists.

We also conduct research with direct policy implications. A recent study on septic tanks in Miami-Dade County is a good example. There are about 120,000 residential units on septic systems, which means they’re not connected to the water and sewer network. Long before residents see flooding in their backyards, rising water tables can compromise groundwater quality. Our research showed how that creates significant environmental and public health risks, not just locally but across Florida, where roughly 27% of residential units rely on septic tanks.

In that project, Miami-Dade helped us access the necessary data, and our contribution was the analytical work and policy insight. The study has now been published and is informing discussions at the county and state levels about how to change incentives and upgrade infrastructure. That’s a good illustration of how our partnerships allow us to combine data, analytics, and policy to serve the broader community and give our students exposure to real-world, high-impact challenges.

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