Bellini University of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing at the University of South Florida went from concept to reality at a speed more familiar to the business world than higher education.
Shortly after settling in his new role at USF, Provost and Executive Vice President Prasanto Mohapatra began the process of developing an independent university for AI and cybersecurity – now known as Bellini College.
Mohapatra has formed a multidisciplinary task force and established plans to create, fund, staff and manage new academic programs. He provided minimal guidance to the task force to ensure decisions arise from the collaborative process, but emphasized that the university will bring together AI and cybersecurity with a focus on application rather than theory.
“The new university is not a version of computer science,” he told the task force. “Sociology, health sciences, nursing and many other disciplines are coming together to leverage advances in AI and cybersecurity, particularly for larger, broader applications.”
Given the latitudes caused by Mohapatra, the task force began work last spring to find the best model for the new university, and ultimately recommended a hub-and-spoke academic structure. This was a belief that it would eliminate silos, highlight the interdisciplinary nature of AI and cybersecurity, and bring about collaboration across the university. Additionally, most of the more than 200 faculty currently working in the areas that make up the new university can remain at home.
The issue of governance was more challenging for the task force, and eventually landed in a flat structure similar to the models currently in use at other USF colleges. Flat governance allows new programs to be added to areas such as quantum computing and digital twins, while encouraging collaboration and faster decision-making.
In its recommendation, a task force member said, “The relationship between AI, cybersecurity and computing reflects a rapidly evolving landscape where traditional sector boundaries are increasingly blurred. These sectors are deeply interconnected, and advances in one sector often drive development in other sectors.”
Breakthroughs occur at a spectacular pace in these areas. Mohapatra and USF leadership knew that they needed to move quickly to launch a new university. At the same time, it was important to balance the sense of urgency and the need to move intentionally, so that concerns and questions from faculty and students were sought and considered.
In the fall of 2025, Bellini University begins preparing students for successful careers in the field of high demand.
Our case studies explain the key points and best practices of universities interested in starting similar programs, as well as Mohapatra’s approach to developing innovative universities. Download it for free and learn more about the future for our university.
