The Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico (PUPR) celebrated the commencement ceremony of its Orlando Campus yesterday, graduating a select group of new professionals in engineering, business administration, and technology. The event reaffirms the Orlando Campus as a space where academia connects with industry, transforming knowledge into real opportunities. Held at the campus facilities at 550 N. Econlockhatchee Trail, the ceremony marked a central moment in the institution's 60th Anniversary commemoration. PUPR, founded in Puerto Rico in 1966, has been present in Central Florida since 2003.
The graduating class exemplifies a deliberate growth strategy: preparing innovative, competitive engineers and business professionals ready to lead in an environment driven by technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation. These graduates strengthen company competitiveness and contribute to the economic development of Florida and Puerto Rico. The Orlando Campus directly responds to Goal #4 of the University’s 2022-2027 Strategic Plan: expansion, positioning, and strategic alliances. In meetings with the Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC) and chambers of commerce, the university identified market priorities including specialized continuing education, STEM talent development, advanced entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, aerospace, construction management, and talent recruitment.
“At the Polytechnic University, academia connects with industry to turn knowledge into opportunities. On our 60th Anniversary, the Orlando Campus demonstrates that our educational model transcends borders and prepares leaders ready to compete, drive digital transformation, and move the economy of the future,” said Ernesto Vázquez Martínez, President of PUPR.
In recent months, the Orlando Campus formalized five strategic memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with the Hispanic Metro Florida Chamber of Commerce, the Puerto Rico College of Engineers and Land Surveyors (Florida Chapter), the Office of Senator Rick Scott, the Central Florida Contractors Association, and SVG Institute. These alliances open pathways to continuing education, internships, employment opportunities in collaboration with BMA Group, and joint development of solutions for industry and government. They replicate in Florida the University-Industry-Government linkage model that has distinguished PUPR since its founding.
“Each alliance we sign in Central Florida opens a concrete connection for our students and graduates. Our objective is to consolidate the Orlando Campus as a benchmark for STEM and business education, with real opportunities for employment, internships, applied innovation, and professional development for the community,” said Dr. Lilliam Román, Director of the Orlando Campus.
The graduation comes one year after the inauguration of the Aerospace Engineering Laboratory at the Orlando Campus, a state-of-the-art space with a $2.9 million investment. The lab includes a jet engine for testing, an autonomous vehicle research laboratory, supersonic and subsonic wind tunnels, advanced flight simulators, 3D printers for aerospace prototypes, and aeronautical modeling software. It positions Orlando as a key node for Florida’s aerospace industry, identified as a strategic priority.
The Orlando Campus leverages its bilingual profile and academic flexibility, with a trimester calendar and in-person, hybrid, and online modalities. This flexibility allows active professionals to continue developing without disconnecting from the labor market. The institution’s accreditations include a 4-star rating in the QS Stars system and designation as a National Center of Excellence in Cyber Defense Education by the NSA and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. For more information, visit the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico website.
