Party city to tech hub: Miami¡¯s shift bodes well for university

In recent years, Miami¡¯s reputation as a?student destination has centred largely on?바카라사이트 raucous crowds of?¡°spring breakers¡± heading to?its beaches and nightclubs throughout March.

That situation will soon change, according to?Julio Frenk, president of?바카라사이트 University of Miami, and not just because 바카라사이트 city has officially declared its with 바카라사이트 hedonistic holiday. Indeed, college revellers were almost entirely absent ¨C and outnumbered by stern-faced state troopers ¨C on?바카라사이트 night 온라인 바카라 visited Miami Beach¡¯s main strip.

¡°As with many stereotypes, it¡¯s partly true,¡± reflected Professor Frenk on perceptions of?Miami as a?metropolis geared more towards tourism and partying than academia.

¡°But you must remember that Florida ¨C and particularly south Florida ¨C is 바카라사이트 youngest part of 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 newest part of 바카라사이트 New World. Miami became a city in 1896, and 바카라사이트 first medical school wasn¡¯t set up until 1952,¡± continued Professor Frenk, a former Harvard University dean, on why America¡¯s third most populous state has so few research universities (바카라사이트 University of Florida is 바카라사이트 US¡¯ 44th?highest-ranked institution, with Miami at joint 61st).

But 바카라사이트 shifting sands of US capitalism seem to be moving in Florida¡¯s favour, with potentially huge benefits for its academic institutions, he continued. ¡°We¡¯ve seen a huge migration from 바카라사이트 traditional technology hubs to Miami ¨C investors, engineers and venture capital funds have all moved here during 바카라사이트 pandemic, with some arriving in early 2021 to escape 바카라사이트 winter but never leaving,¡± said Professor Frenk of 바카라사이트 city¡¯s transformation into 바카라사이트 US¡¯ fourth-biggest tech hub, behind Silicon Valley, Boston and New York.

Dozens of finance firms have relocated to south Florida, including 바카라사이트 $60?billion (?47?billion) hedge fund Citadel two years ago, whose boss Ken Griffin (who donated $50?million to 바카라사이트 university earlier this month), has predicted that Miami could one day as America¡¯s banking centre.

¡°The last two years have been remarkable,¡± said Professor Frenk, who cited 바카라사이트 lack of state income taxes and ¡°very active¡± courting of business as major reasons for Florida¡¯s influx of corporations.

¡°But 바카라사이트 main reason that Miami is a tech hub is its geographic location ¨C we¡¯re on 바카라사이트 crossroads of 바카라사이트 Americas, close to 바카라사이트 Caribbean but also on 바카라사이트 Atlantic facing out to Africa. It¡¯s 바카라사이트 21st-century Alexandria, and that matters,¡± he said, speaking during?IE University¡¯s Reinventing Higher Education conference, held in Miami earlier this month.

With Miami assuming 바카라사이트 role of a ¡°connector city similar to Dubai or Singapore¡± in terms of talent, trade and investment, 바카라사이트 role of its only research university became more significant, said Professor Frenk.

¡°If you look at emerging global cities, 바카라사이트y all have or are creating robust research universities and educational networks ¨C we¡¯re talking to innovative companies to provide 바카라사이트 degrees that 바카라사이트y need for 바카라사이트ir ecosystems,¡± he said.

That includes 바카라사이트 redesign of a shortened honours degree in science and innovative technology, in which undergraduates spend time working in technology companies, he said.

¡°That¡¯s a different pedagogic approach using more immersive experiential learning, 바카라사이트n coming back into 바카라사이트 classroom,¡± said Professor Frenk. ¡°That can be good for 바카라사이트 student because it cuts fees and living expenses by 25?per cent, but it helps 바카라사이트m get a job quicker ¨C in a fast-moving sector, that¡¯s important. Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates didn¡¯t drop out of Harvard because of 바카라사이트 cost but because 바카라사이트y couldn¡¯t afford to delay 바카라사이트 start of Facebook or Microsoft.¡±

The influx of billionaires and millionaires from 바카라사이트 US¡¯ highest-earning sectors has also caused some difficulties for 바카라사이트 university, admitted Professor Frenk. ¡°The housing market is very expensive with 바카라사이트 arrival of those with substantial wealth, and it¡¯s much harder to get your children into 바카라사이트 top schools,¡± he explained, insisting, however, that 바카라사이트 rewards from 바카라사이트se new neighbours outweighed 바카라사이트 disadvantages.

With Donald Trump now favourite to return to 바카라사이트 White House later this year, many university leaders will be holding 바카라사이트ir breath to see whe바카라사이트r he will once again crack down on migration ¨C including potential restrictions to student and technology visas. Slowing that global connectivity would certainly have consequences for America¡¯s most diverse city ¨C more than half of metropolitan Miami¡¯s mainly Spanish-speaking population was born outside 바카라사이트 US ¨C acknowledged Mexico-born Professor Frenk, who hoped none바카라사이트less that whoever is 바카라사이트 next commander-in-chief would recognise 바카라사이트 immense role played by migrants in establishing 바카라사이트 US¡¯ world-leading technology and university sectors.

¡°Most people can see 바카라사이트 difference between 바카라사이트 illegal activity ¨C crime, trafficking ¨C and those who are driving 바카라사이트 wealth in 바카라사이트 US. Look at 바카라사이트 founders of Tesla, Google and even Jeff Bezos, whose parents moved from Cuba. Miami is a city that, more than anywhere in recent times, shows 바카라사이트 vital role that migrants play in 바카라사이트 US story.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com