MIAMI, Oct. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida International University announced the launch of the FIU Cruise Excellence Center, led by its Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. The initiative is designed to address the global cruise sector's most consequential challenges and opportunities, while establishing FIU as a global academic hub for cruise-industry research, talent development, executive education and innovation. 

The announcement coincides with the inaugural meeting of the Center's Cruise Executive Advisory Board, a founding board composed of presidents, CEOs, a CFO and other senior executives from cruise lines and organizations spanning travel distribution, destinations, maritime services and other critical parts of the cruise ecosystem. 

"The launch of the FIU Cruise Excellence Center signifies an historic partnership right here in Miami, the Cruise Capital of the World, and offers FIU an opportunity to engage with an industry that has enormous importance to our region and to the global economy," said Jeanette M. Nuñez, president of FIU. "The Center creates a strong nexus between expertise from across FIU with industry leadership to help develop talent, generate meaningful research, and contribute to the future of cruising."

Board members will help FIU identify high-value industry challenges and translate university knowledge into practical values for the industry, establish research priorities, strengthen academic curricula, expand experiential learning and internship opportunities, develop executive and professional education and create stronger connections among students, faculty and the global cruise community. 

The Center's initial strategic priorities are to combine academic research, education and industry collaboration, along with a commitment to opening doors of opportunity for FIU students. Whether through a degree or a specialized micro-credential, the industry insights will result in preparing students for meaningful careers, developing the next generation of industry leaders and empowering them to make an impact on a global stage.

"Cruising is an extraordinarily complex global industry, and the issues shaping its future increasingly cross traditional academic boundaries," said Michael Cheng, dean of FIU's Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. "The Chaplin School will serve as the academic lead for the Center connecting the right FIU expertise and discipline across the university to the questions industry leaders bring forward resulting in more relevant research, a richer curriculum, and offering students experience working across the boundaries they will encounter in their careers."

Building a Global Cruise Research Agenda and Future Talent Pipeline

A major ambition of the FIU Cruise Excellence Center is to develop a distinctive body of independent, academically grounded research focused on the cruise industry and a talent pipeline. FIU already has an established academic foundation in cruise education, including its undergraduate Cruise Line Management track and a Master of Science in Hospitality Management with a specialization in Cruise Line Operations.

Potential research and innovation priorities include the future cruise workforce, changing consumer demand, emerging technologies and artificial intelligence, environmental responsibility, crew well-being, destination and managed-tourism strategies, operating performance, logistics and supply chains, ports and destinations, guest experience, and the economic and geopolitical forces affecting global cruising.

"This is intended to be a working partnership, not an advisory board in name only," said Larry Pimentel, FIU Distinguished Cruise Executive-in-Residence and chair of the Cruise Executive Advisory Board. 

"Our opportunity is bigger than creating another academic center," Pimentel added. "It is to build a resource for the global cruise industry that is relevant, independent, connected and useful — one that brings together industry experience, academic rigor and the next generation of talent."

The long-term objective is to create a sustained connection between a major research university and the global cruise industry to identify future skill requirements, strengthen curricula, expand internships and experiential learning, develop executive education and micro-credentials, and create clearer pathways between education and careers throughout the cruise ecosystem. 

For more information, please visit the FIU Cruise Excellence Center website. Photos and B-roll are available via Dropbox. Interview opportunities are available upon request.

Media Contact:
Ivonne Yee-Amor
(305) 919-4500 
iamor@fiu.edu
news.fiu.edu
@FIU

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SOURCE Florida International University