Universities in Australia and USA unveil Saudi campus plans

In a statement, the University of Wollongong Global Enterprises (UOWGE) said it was progressing plans to establish a new international campus in Riyadh, due to open in the middle of this year with English language programs.

The campus will expand to offer UOW College Foundation programs in 2026 and then undergraduate degrees from the following year, subject to academic approvals.

UOWGE said that the announcement follows a landmark policy shift by Saudi Arabia, which recently opened the door to international institutions establishing local campuses under its Vision 2030 agenda, and that it was the first foreign university to be granted an investment license through the scheme.

The University of Wollongong branch campus in Dubai.

Interim Vice-Chancellor and President of UOW, Senior Professor Eileen McLaughlin, said the decision is part of a broader strategy to build resilience and global relevance.

“This is about ensuring our long-term strength – both here and internationally – by drawing on the distinctive capability we’ve built in offshore education,” Professor McLaughlin.

UOW Global Enterprises CEO and Managing Director, Marisa Mastroianni, added, “Our extensive global network – particularly the success of UOW Dubai – positioned us to pursue this opportunity. The support from Austrade also reflects our standing as a trusted education provider.”

Meanwhile, the University of New Haven and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have announced joint support to establish a branch campus in Riyadh, planned to open in the autumn of 2026 and to serve 13,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

The planned campus in Riyadh will deliver transformative student outcomes, maximize ROI for graduates, and support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals, the University of New Haven said.

The campus in Riyadh will feature a College of Business and Digital Innovation; a College of Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing; and a College of Arts and Applied Sciences. Students will have access to the West Haven and Tuscany campuses, and to the educational and career resources that are available to all students.

The Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Mission to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Alison Dilworth said, “This is an exciting time for U.S.-Saudi higher education collaboration. Following the inaugural Saudi-U.S. Higher Education Partnerships Forum last November, we are seeing an increase in U.S.-Saudi joint research, student exchange, and university engagement. The news of the University of New Haven opening a campus in Riyadh next year is extremely exciting for both the United States and Saudi Arabia, and we look forward to seeing this project continue to progress.”

Official handover of the University of New Haven’s foreign investment license. Photo – University of New Haven

As part of the MoU, the University of New Haven and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are committing to creating connections with industry to support programs and internships, recruitment pathways for students and identifying sponsors for scholarships.