The Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico (PUPR) held its commencement ceremony for the Orlando Campus on July 9, 2026, graduating a select group of new professionals in engineering, business administration, and technology. The event, part of the institution’s 60th anniversary celebrations, underscores the campus's role as a bridge between academia and industry, transforming knowledge into real opportunities. Located at 550 N. Econlockhatchee Trail, the Orlando Campus has been serving Central Florida since 2003.
This graduating class exemplifies the university's deliberate growth strategy: preparing innovative, competitive engineers and business professionals ready to lead in a technology-driven environment. These graduates are poised to strengthen company competitiveness and contribute to the economic development of both Florida and Puerto Rico. The Orlando Campus aligns with Goal #4 of PUPR's 2022-2027 Strategic Plan, which focuses on expansion, positioning, and strategic alliances. Through meetings with the Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development and Commerce 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.
Ernesto Vázquez Martínez, President of the Polytechnic University, stated: “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.”
In recent months, the 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 enable continuing education, internships, employment opportunities in collaboration with BMA Group, and joint development of solutions for industry and government. Dr. Lilliam Román, Director of the Orlando Campus, emphasized: “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.”
A key differentiator is the Aerospace Engineering Laboratory, inaugurated a year ago with a $2.9 million investment. It features 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. This positions Orlando as a key node for Florida’s aerospace industry. At the lab’s inauguration, Dr. Adriano Parisi noted: “This state-of-the-art laboratory is a center of discovery, a platform for developing ideas and a compelling testament to our commitment to education, research and progress.”
The university’s value proposition is supported by outcomes: 74% of undergraduate alumni are employed, 79% of graduate alumni are employed, 86% work full time, 72% earn salaries above $45,000 annually, and 71% work in the U.S. private sector. The Orlando Campus offers flexible learning modalities—in-person, hybrid, and online—with a trimester calendar, allowing active professionals to continue developing without leaving the workforce. It also benefits from a bilingual faculty and over 50 years of accreditations, including 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.
As the university commemorates its 60th anniversary, it transitions toward what it calls the University of the New Century: a scalable educational platform in Puerto Rico and Florida, where academia connects with industry, knowledge becomes opportunities, and leaders for the future economy are prepared.
