The Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico (PUPR) celebrated the commencement ceremony of its Orlando Campus on July 9, 2026, graduating a select group of new professionals in engineering, business administration, and technology. The event, held at the campus located at 550 N. Econlockhatchee Trail, marked a key moment in the institution’s 60th Anniversary commemoration. The graduating class underscores a deliberate growth strategy to prepare innovative, competitive engineers and business professionals ready to lead in an environment driven by technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation, thereby strengthening company competitiveness and contributing to economic development in Florida and Puerto Rico.
The Orlando Campus directly supports Goal #4 of the University’s 2022-2027 Strategic Plan: expansion, positioning, and strategic alliances. Through meetings with the Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC) and chambers of commerce, PUPR identified market priorities including specialized continuing education, STEM talent development, advanced entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, the aerospace industry, construction management, and talent recruitment. The campus’s academic offerings and alliances connect students from day one with opportunities in the business and industrial world.
“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 organizations including 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 facility 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, aeronautical modeling and simulation software, and materials and aerodynamics testing equipment. This positions Orlando as a key node for Florida’s aerospace industry, identified as a strategic priority.
According to PUPR data, 74% of undergraduate alumni are already 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. Engineering remains a key differentiator for the Orlando Campus, while the Business Administration offering has expanded, including the Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management (BSOM), available to students from any academic background, under the concept “Engineering + Entrepreneurship = Venture Creation.”
The Orlando Campus leverages its bilingual profile—with a faculty and administrative team mostly of Hispanic origin—and academic flexibility, offering a trimester calendar, in-person, hybrid, and 100% online modalities, and continuous progression from bachelor’s to master’s degree. This flexibility allows active professionals to continue developing without disconnecting from the labor market. The institution holds over 50 years of accreditations, including a 4-star rating in the international QS Stars system and designation as a National Center of Excellence in Cyber Defense Education by the NSA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
This graduation is part of PUPR’s 60th anniversary commemoration and its transition 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 transforms into opportunities, and leaders for the future economy are prepared.
