University of New Haven-Riyadh is scheduled to open in Fall 2026 with the launch of a College of Business and Digital Innovation that is expected to attract an inaugural incoming class of up to 500 students to pursue degrees in the University’s signature programs in business, entrepreneurship and digital innovation.
The University of New Haven has received approval from its accreditor, the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), to establish its campus in Riyadh, scheduled to open in Fall of 2026.
Becoming the first institution in the world to receive approval to establish an international branch campus in Saudi Arabia builds on the University’s longstanding commitment to supporting education around the globe.
A joint collaboration unveiled at World Football Summit 2025 in Riyadh will support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and build momentum toward the launch of the University’s flagship Sport Management degree at its new Riyadh campus in 2026.
Building off the momentum of becoming the first institution in the world to receive approval to open an international branch campus in Saudi Arabia, the University brought together alumni in Riyadh for a special event, highlighting its active support of higher education in Saudi Arabia for more than 20 years.
The announcement of the University’s new collaboration with Takamol Holding, a government-operated company affiliated with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, will take place during the Crown Prince’s visit to the United States that will include a U.S.-Saudi investment summit in Washington, D.C.
The program will be led by University of New Haven professors who are experts in sports security and crisis response, including a retired U.S. Secret Service supervisory agent and a current municipal emergency management director.
The University’s Riyadh campus is envisioned to grow to serve 13,000 undergraduate and graduate students, advancing the Kingdom’s transformative Vision 2030 goals.
The invitation-only forum is bringing together senior U.S. and Saudi government officials, Fortune 500 CEOs, global investors, and innovators across vital sectors including energy, finance, technology, manufacturing, aerospace, healthcare, mineral resources, and education.
A memorandum of understanding between the University and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Education, its Ministry of Investment, and the Royal Commission for Riyadh City provides a pathway for the University to open a campus in Riyadh in Fall of 2026 that would grow to serve 13,000 undergraduate and graduate students, advancing the Kingdom’s transformative Vision 2030 goals.