Florida's Linkage Institutes

Florida-Costa Rica Linkage Institute

Florida-France Linkage Institute

Florida-Costa Rica Tuition exemption

Florida-France Tuition exemption

Recognizing the need to prepare its students and citizens for participation in the expanding international marketplace, the Florida Legislature created the International Linkage Institute Program in 1986. The goal of the Institutes is to assist in the development and promotion of commercial, educational, and social exchanges between Florida and foreign countries determined to be of strategic importance to the state. Over the last several years, the value of the Institute program to the state has become more readily apparent.

Since international trade and investment has become Florida’s leading source of revenue, Florida must build long-term educational and cultural ties to our strategic trading partners throughout the world in order to provide high quality jobs and incomes for its residents into the 21st century.

The Linkage Institutes are each jointly administered by one or more state universities in partnership with a state community college, and are linked to counter part organizations of higher education in the selected foreign countries.

The Linkage Institutes have developed innovative programs to bring Florida business leaders into direct contact with educators who have expertise and close working relations in targeted countries. Equally important networks are formed when students from overseas return to their home countries, often to assume important professional and business positions, and take with them the friendships they cultivated in Florida. This type of personal connection to the world outside of Florida translates into immediate and long-term benefits to the state.

The state of Florida permits each Institute to award up to 1,050 credithours, per academic year, to partner country students through the Non-Resident Tuition Exemption Program. Students in the program must be enrolled in one of Florida’s state universities or community colleges and meet certain established academic and state-legislated criteria in order to qualify. These awards allow the foreign country students to study at in-state tuition rates.

Executive Summary
The Florida-Costa Rica Linkage Institute, known as FLORICA, was created in 1986, authorized by the Florida Legislature in 1987, and formalized by an agreement signed by the State University System of Florida, the Florida Community College System and the Council of Rectors of Costa Rican Universities (CONARE). Since its beginning, FLORICA has been administered for Costa Rica by CONARE and on behalf of the State of Florida by The Florida State University and Valencia Community College, with co-directors appointed from each institution.

FLORICA has strong credibility both in Florida and Costa Rica as a stimulus and a catalyst. The Institute has interfaced broadly in Costa Rica with public and private institutions and agencies including all the public universities.

Tuition exemption program

The Florida-France Linkage Institute was created by the Legislature of the State of Florida in 1989. Over the years, the scope of activities and outreach of the Institute have grown considerably; in Florida, in France, and in the départments of the French Caribbean. The Florida-France Linkage Institute is administered by The Florida State University, the University of South Florida, and Miami-Dade Community College, as co-sponsors. The educational mission of each of these institutions lends an unusual and unique diversity to the joint co-sponsorship of the Florida-France Linkage Institute. The Florida-France linkage institute is administered on behalf of the State of Florida by FSU,USF, and Miami Dade Community College, with co-directors appointed from each institution. It is supported on behalf of France by the office of the French Consulate-General in Miami.

The Florida-France Linkage Institute utilizes the resources of the State University System and the Community College System. The Institute also serves as a clearinghouse for inter-institutional and community networking to bring projects and activities to college and university campuses.

Thus, the Florida-France Linkage Institute places a high priority on its mission to serve as a facilitator for international tourism, trade, economic development, and business for the Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development (OTTED).

Co-directors:

Tuition exemption program