Miami Dade College opens AI Innovation Hub at Kendall campus

Miami Dade College Opens AI Innovation Hub at Kendall Campus

Miami Dade College opened a 7,000-square-foot AI Innovation Hub at its Kendall campus this week, marking the college's third major AI center and expanding hands-on training for students across the county.

The hub houses six specialized labs: a Cognitive Applications Lab, AI Applications Studio, Metaverse Arch Studio, Cybersecurity Classroom, Network Solutions Lab, and RoboTech Lab. A collaboration space called The Nook Huddle supports interdisciplinary work. An interactive AI installation at the entrance demonstrates real-time conversational intelligence using live audio and visual processing.

The facility prepares students for roles in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, networking, robotics engineering, and immersive design technologies.

Scale of MDC's AI Effort

This hub joins existing AI centers on MDC's North Campus (opened 2022) and Wolfson Campus (opened 2023). The college has trained more than 4,000 students in AI skills and provided AI training to over 1,000 faculty members across disciplines.

MDC's AI for Education programs include certificates, an associate degree in science, and Florida's first bachelor's degree in applied AI, all offered through the School of Engineering and Technology.

Industry Partnerships

Intel, Google, Microsoft, IBM, OpenAI, the National Science Foundation, and the Mark Cuban Foundation collaborate with MDC on the programs. Students work with the same tools and platforms used by these organizations.

College President Madeline Pumariega said the hub's design emphasizes applied learning rather than theory alone. "Students aren't just studying AI, they're building, testing, and collaborating in an environment that mirrors how these technologies are actually used in the workplace," she said.

Pumariega added that the college aims to reach students across Miami-Dade County, not just those in urban areas. "Our responsibility is to make sure those opportunities are accessible across our entire county, not limited to the urban core or to a select few," she said.

Educators interested in integrating AI into their teaching can explore resources on AI for Teachers.