1FAU: One University, Working Together
Since welcoming our first freshman class in 1984, Florida Atlantic has evolved into a top-tier research university currently serving more than 32,000 students. Rarely has such a young university achieved so much, so fast. To accelerate our ascent, we are grounding Florida Atlantic鈥檚 strategic imperatives in the founding principles of innovation and opportunity that have defined our trajectory.
As the place 鈥渨here tomorrow begins,鈥 Florida Atlantic recognizes that the world is changing at an unprecedented pace, propelled by technological breakthroughs and economic transformation. At the same time, higher education faces growing pressure to deliver value, remain relevant, and prepare graduates for an increasingly complex future. A university must be more than a repository and disseminator of knowledge. It must be a catalyst to inspire achievement, drive discovery, and boost economic mobility.
By 2031, Florida Atlantic will be delivering a Return on Investment for 100% of our students. We will deliver a clear ROI for every student, aligning our programs with the opportunities of the future and producing graduates who are Day One career-ready and equipped with the Essential Success Skills to build fulfilling, purposeful lives.
By 2031, Florida Atlantic will be discovering solutions for healthier, safer, more prosperous communities. As a nationally recognized R1 Institution, we will grow our research enterprise, graduate studies, and academic medicine programs through consequential work that addresses the most pressing challenges facing Florida and the nation, resulting in healthier outcomes across the region, environmental progress, economic growth, and safer communities across our state and beyond.
By 2031, Florida Atlantic will be powering our rise by maximizing our strategic assets. Working together as 1FAU, we will break down barriers across campuses, colleges, and divisions, unlock the full potential of our strategic assets, embed operational excellence, and sustain the investment our mission demands.
By 2031, Florida Atlantic will be elevating the prestige of the university. We will elevate Florida Atlantic鈥檚 reputation, establishing our university as a nationally recognized leader in student success and research innovation, a destination of choice for high-performing students, the Hometown University for our community, and an indispensable partner for job creation, entrepreneurship, and economic growth.
ROI at Florida Atlantic begins in the classroom. Every program must deliver strong, well-designed curricula that reflect disciplinary depth, coherence, high standards, and stay current with the evolving needs of industry and society. Supported by high-quality instruction, clearly defined learning outcomes, and regular assessment that ensures continuous improvement, our programs will equip students with the Essential Success Skills that support success across careers and develop the perspective that shapes thoughtful citizens and community leaders.
A meaningful return includes the capacity to think independently, weigh evidence, and engage with ideas different from one鈥檚 own. Florida Atlantic will expose students to a broad range of credible perspectives, encourage the critical evaluation of competing arguments, and cultivate the habits of open, civil discussion, including the productive disagreement that sharpens reasoning and deepens understanding. In the classroom and across campus life, students will learn to listen carefully, question thoughtfully, and engage respectfully with those who see the world differently. These are not merely academic exercises; they are the foundation of a free society and among the most durable skills a graduate can carry into any career, community, or role as a citizen.
Every Florida Atlantic student should graduate with documented hands-on experience, whether through internships, undergraduate research, immersive learning environments, performances, clinical placements, or entrepreneurial ventures. Delivering this requires intentional infrastructure: a Hometown Network of industry, community, and research partners; faculty and staff members who actively create and connect students to opportunities; and a coordinated approach that ensures every student has the opportunity to benefit from a meaningful experience.
Every student should leave with a defined next step. Our Career Center and advising infrastructure engages students from day one, cultivating an active employer pipeline that brings industry to campus and to students, pursues entrepreneurial support for those who want to create their own opportunity, and offers graduate and professional school preparation for those continuing their education.
Florida Atlantic must continue to deliver one of the strongest value propositions in American higher education through accessible tuition, robust financial aid, time-to-degree efficiency, transparent costs, and support that helps students graduate on time.
A Florida Atlantic credential must open doors. That means growing our existing nationally recognized programs while building recognition in the university鈥檚 Areas of Expertise. It also means demonstrating the quality of our graduates and the strength of their outcomes, so that employers, investors, graduate schools, and communities recognize what a Florida Atlantic degree represents. Reputation is the multiplier that compounds the value of every other investment the university makes.
This is the promise that will define Florida Atlantic: that every student will be empowered to realize the full return of their investment in this university.
Florida Atlantic will become nationally synonymous with our Four Areas of Research Emphasis: Neuroscience and Healthy Aging; Quantum Computing; Environmental; Ocean & Coastal Innovation; and National Defense and Autonomous Systems.
Recruiting world-class faculty and researchers and developing existing faculty in our Areas of Research Emphasis, the university will empower them to lead the work they are most passionate about and earn the national recognition they deserve.
We will attract significant capital, investment, and philanthropy to our Areas of Research Emphasis, creating an environment where groundbreaking discovery and innovation thrive and all of our students have the opportunity to participate in discovery.
1 | Deliver
1.1 As part of their degree, students will be grounded in the personal and professional skills important for success in life.
1.2 Students will engage in real-world experiences throughout their time at Florida Atlantic.
1.3 Our Hometown Network will expand student experiential learning.
1.4 Every graduate will have a clear, supported pathway to start the career of their choosing or create one of their own.
1.5 Florida Atlantic will build graduate programs that match our ambition, training the next generation of scholars, scientists, and professional leaders who shape their fields and serve their communities.
1.6 Our students will have access to the resources, community, and care they need to thrive.
2 | Discover
2.1 Collaboration will define how we work.
2.2 Academic medicine and nursing education will be a cornerstone of our university.
2.3 Florida Atlantic will turn research discoveries into intellectual property, licensing agreements, and new companies that shape industries and improve lives.
2.4 As the first university in Florida to publicly host a large, dedicated quantum computer on site, we will leverage our new D-Wave Advantage2 annealing system to advance research, prepare a quantum-ready workforce, and elevate our national prominence in this rapidly emerging field.
2.5 麻豆精品视频鈥檚 neuroscience and healthy aging research program will continue actively addressing some of the most urgent health needs of our time.
2.6 Autonomous systems and AI play an increasing central role in national defense and security, and that emphasis is expected to continue to expand. Florida Atlantic鈥檚 work in this area is well established, offering a powerful opportunity to advance to national prominent and impact.
2.7 As a university positioned between the ocean and the Everglades, Florida Atlantic will lead in environmental, ocean, and coastal research, education, and stewardship to address the challenges facing Florida鈥檚 natural systems and the communities that depend on them.
3 | Power
3.1 We will unlock the full strategic value of our campus locations to advance the university鈥檚 mission, enhance the campus experience, and build value for our students, faculty, and staff.
3.2 As 1FAU, we will maximize and advance our signature programs and institutional assets, ensuring each contributes meaningfully to our mission and long-term success.
3.3 We will build a financial position that matches our ambitions, ensuring Florida Atlantic has the resources, momentum, and flexibility to deliver on its mission at the highest level.
3.4 Transfer and online students will find a clear and welcoming path to Florida Atlantic.
3.5 Operational excellence and efficiency will be pursued through a deliberate, comprehensive strategy that eliminates redundancy, maximizes space usage, and deploys resources in direct support of the university鈥檚 mission.
4 | Elevate
4.1 We will treat our reputation as a core institutional priority, investing in and managing its strength with rigor, discipline, and intentionality.
4.2 We will position Florida Atlantic as a preferred destination for high-performing students, competing intentionally for their enrollment by strengthening the reputation, programs, resources, and experiences that shape their enrollment decisions.
4.3 Even as we rise on the national stage, Florida Atlantic will cultivate and embrace its identity as the Hometown University, by establishing a deep and visible presence in the communities we are proud to call our home and turning our unparalleled regional advantages into national distinction.
4.4 Athletics strengthens both university, our student-athletes, the student experience, and the campus community.
4.5 Florida Atlantic will grow its role as a leader in the arts, culture, and creative innovation, expanding opportunities for our students and community to engage with and celebrate this work.
4.6 South Florida has emerged as a dynamic hub for finance and entrepreneurship, drawing asset managers, hedge funds, and fintech firms alongside a fast-growing community of startups and founders. Florida Atlantic is positioned to serve this 鈥淲all Street South鈥 business community through first-rate academic programming, industry partnerships, and research that develops the talent and ideas to sustain South Florida鈥檚 economic momentum.