University of New Haven Receives U.S. Accreditation Approval to Launch World’s First International Branch Campus in Saudi Arabia

The University of New Haven is excited to announce it has received approval from the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) to establish its international branch campus in Saudi Arabia. This marks a major development toward the scheduled opening this fall of the campus in Riyadh, which will be the first U.S. international branch campus in Saudi Arabia.

This is the same accreditation the University has for its domestic programs and other locations. NECHE is one of the oldest and most respected accrediting bodies in the United States.

“This is another significant milestone in our historic undertaking to establish an international branch campus in Riyadh,” said Jens Frederiksen, Ph.D., president of the University of New Haven. “From the beginning of this process, it has been clear that there is a significant demand in Riyadh for American-style higher education. Our Riyadh campus will feature the same enrollment-driven model in place in Connecticut, offering our immersive educational experiences and market-driven programs in a region with a large and growing population of college-aged individuals who are seeking higher education opportunities. This campus builds on the University’s rich international history and advances our mission of educating the elite global workforce of the future.”

The University will begin offering degree programs in the Fall of 2026 through a College of Business and Digital Innovation. The University plans to expand to offer degrees through a College of Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing and a College of Arts and Applied Sciences. Undergraduate and graduate degrees will be offered alongside executive education and micro-credentials to support lifelong learning.

The University envisions the Riyadh campus growing to serve more than 10,000 students.

The international branch campus will be located in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia and its most populous city. Riyadh is rapidly developing as an educational hub, with significant investments in education, advanced technology and community-focused school designs supporting the country’s diversified workforce needs.

Students at the Riyadh campus will have access to both the University's main campus in West Haven and its Tuscany campus, as well as the numerous educational and career-related resources available to all University of New Haven students.

The development of University of New Haven-Riyadh supports the transformative goals outlined in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which provides a blueprint for diversifying Saudi Arabia's economy, empowering citizens, increasing private sector participation in higher education, and creating a vibrant environment for both local and international investors.

“For decades, the University has built meaningful relationships and partnerships in Saudi Arabia and educated hundreds of students on our main campus in Connecticut, earning the confidence and trust of Saudi families and institutions,” said President Frederiksen. “Securing our accreditor’s approval to establish an international branch campus in Riyadh advances this work, strengthens our global presence, and reinforces our commitment to providing transformative learning opportunities for students from across the globe.”