Partner University of the Month (June 2021)

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Our partner university of the Month for June is the University of North Florida (UNF) in Jacksonville, USA.

Entrance to the university campus (Image: UNF)

In 1986, Johnny Cash sang "I'm going to Jackson" and landed one of his greatest hits. Today, we'll do the same - almost, that is. Our partner university of the month for June is the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.

UNF is idyllically located surrounded by greenery on the east side of Jax, as the locals call the city, the largest city in the U.S. by acreage. Students of the Faculty of Information, Media and Electrical Engineering and of Business, Economics and Law have the opportunity to be one of the 17.000 students studying at UNF in the Sunshine State. Since its foundation in 1965, the campus has continuously expanded and offers numerous opportunities for learning and research, but also for social gatherings and emotional well-being.

Jacksonville - the largest city in the United States by area and the most populous in Florida (Image: UNF)

Traditionally, teaching is strongly oriented towards students. The relationship between students and lecturers is extremely friendly and personal. It is not uncommon to address one another by first name. Exchange students also have the opportunity to take subjects from many different faculties. Economics, the fine arts, engineering courses – there is hardly anything that UNF does not teach. Of course, there is also help with orientation on site.

Life on campus is far from limited to studying. Rather, there is a lot to discover for the ospreys, as the students are called in honor of the university mascot. Sports fields, dining halls, fast food restaurants, cafes, supermarkets, libraries, a fitness and wellbeing center, swimming pools, common areas, concerts, shows, lectures and much more! This vibrant campus feels like a small town within a city. In addition, the UNF also owns some protected forests and lakes, which you can explore on hiking trails or in a canoe.

Miles of sandy Jacksonville Beaches (Image: UNF)

However, if you want to leave the campus, you have to plan enough time. Jacksonville is very large, so the bus ride to the beach or downtown can take up to an hour. Going by car can cut up to 40 minutes off this trip. In and around Jacksonville, however, there is much to discover, for example the beautiful beaches and coasts to the east. You can find numerous places for swimming, surfing or simply hanging out. Downtown Jax is also waiting to be explored. The St. John's River promenade and downtown skyline are the ideal backdrop for your selfies. At the same time, the city echoes the eventful history of the state of Florida. From French colonization or the time as a member of the Confederacy, to the modern industrial metropolis it has since become, Jacksonville has quite a few years under its belt. Given the very warm climate in the region - 40°C is not uncommon - you should definitely plan enough time in museums, indoor sports facilities or one of the numerous restaurants when strolling through the city.  Or you can simply enjoy the hustle and bustle of the city under palm trees.

If life across the pond has always seemed interesting to you, Jacksonville should be on your list! Who knows, maybe future returnees will sing about the idyllic college life under palm trees. Let's go to Jacksonville!