[17] FIU's founding president Charles "Chuck" Perry was appointed by the board of regents in July 1969, at which time the institution was named Florida International University.

Alvah Chapman, Jr., former Miami Herald publisher and Knight Ridder chairman, used his civic standing and media power to assist the effort.

Negotiations with the University of Miami and Dade County Junior College led FIU to open as an upper-division only school; Perry's vision foresaw a "no gimmicks" institution with no student housing.

"[34] FIU's faculty has engaged in research and holds far-reaching expertise in reducing morbidity and mortality from cancer, HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, diabetes and other diseases, and change the approaches to the delivery of health care by medical, public health, nursing and other healthcare professionals, hurricane mitigation, climate change, nano-technologies, forensic sciences, and the development of biomedical devices.

[33] Now President Emeritus, he serves as the Alvah H. Chapman, Jr., Eminent Scholar Chair in Leadership, and Professor of Management at FIU.

[11] The Florida International University School of Hospitality & Tourism Management collaborated with the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China to work on preparations for the 2008 Summer Olympics.

[47] The complex serves architecture, art, and hospitality students and includes lighting, set design, marketing, and other internship and training opportunities.

Just a week later it was revealed that he stepped down because of allegations that he had made advances to a younger female employee, "causing discomfort," and creating a hostile work environment.

[16][53] In April 2024, students at Florida International University started protesting and  set up a "liberated zone"[54] in support of Palestinians in Gaza, joining other campuses nationwide.

[60] Jessell's three year contract ends in 2025 and he is expected to be replaced by Florida's lieutenant governor and FIU alumna Jeanette Nuñez as interim president on February 17, 2025.

[27] Until the early 1990s, the runways, parking ramp, and other features of Tamiami Airport were still visible on campus and clearly discernible in aerial photos.

The Engineering Center is serviced by the CATS Shuttle, FIU's student buses, which run throughout the day on weekdays connecting the two parts of campus.

It was opened in 1977 by Harold Crosby and occupies land, directly on the bay and adjacent to the Oleta River State Park, with which FIU has a research partnership.

The FIU at I-75 academic center is a satellite campus located in Miramar, which borders Pembroke Pines and the southernmost portion of Interstate 75 in Broward County.

FIU's College of Business Administration has had classes at the Burdines Building on Flagler Street and the Metropolitan Center had offices at 150 SE 2nd Ave since 2004.

[82] Founded in 2018, it combines two decades of experience to engage the forensic science and criminal justice industries from the crime scene to the courtroom.

Panther Power is the student spirit group,[87] and it can be seen in all FIU athletic events alongside the Band, the Dazzlers dance team, and the cheerleaders.

[122][123][124] The average academic profile of students that were accepted into the Honors College in 2019 was as follows: 4.4 weighted GPA; 29 ACT composite; 1329 SAT total.

[129] In 2006, FIU opened the Florida International University Tianjin Center in China, from which a branch of the School of Hospitality & Tourism Management operates.

[130] While FIU does not have a campus in Colombia, its extensive involvement in efforts in that country—including river conservation, public health, and justice reform—led the university to designate it one of its "World Centers".

[132][133][134] FIU MUN also hosts an annual high school conference: Florida International Model United Nations (FIMUN).

[139] The first floor has classrooms, auditorium spaces, and support services for students, such as tutoring, the writing center, and technology assistance.

[151] The 12-fan Wall of Wind (WoW) at FIU is the largest and most powerful university research facility of its kind and is capable of simulating a Category 5 hurricane.

Incoming students can attend Panther Camp, originally a weekend retreat in the summer and now a two-day on-campus event, which began in 2006.

[157] The Wolfsonian-FIU Museum is located in Miami Beach and promotes the collection, preservation and understanding of decorative art and design from the period from 1885 to 1945.

The Department of Theatre presents a season of four professionally designed, produced, and directed productions each year that serve as a laboratory for students.

In December 2017, Greek life activities were temporarily paused by the university in the wake of a series of hazing events nationally and the discovery of a group chat of Tau Kappa Epsilon members that contained photos of nude women.

[168] There have long been plans for Metrorail, the local heavy rail rapid transit system to be extended west, with two proposed lines terminating at Florida International University's main campus.

[170] WRGP "The Roar", with antecedents dating to 1988[171] and broadcasting on FM since 1999,[172] is FIU's student-run radio station, with transmitters in Homestead and on the Maidique and Biscayne Bay campuses.

[178] Three years later, in 2012, G4TV held the Northeast and Southeast regional qualifying rounds of the television show American Ninja Warrior at FIU.