University of New Haven–Riyadh Campus in Saudi Arabia Receives $10 Million Gift to Launch College of Business and Digital Innovation
The University of New Haven today announced a $10 million gift from alumnus Douglas D. Schumann ’69 to establish the College of Business and Digital Innovation at its new campus in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The gift supports the launch of University of New Haven–Riyadh (NHU-Riyadh), the first independently licensed U.S. university campus in Saudi Arabia, which will welcome its inaugural class in fall 2026.
The landmark investment will help launch the College of Business and Digital Innovation, funding its facilities, technology, faculty, and academic programs. The college will prepare students for careers in business, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, entrepreneurship, analytics, and other high-growth fields while supporting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic development strategy.
Approved by the Saudi Council of Ministers in 2025 and by the University’s U.S. accreditor earlier this year, University of New Haven–Riyadh will be located in Misk City, the Kingdom’s nonprofit innovation district in the heart of Riyadh. The new 62,000-square-foot campus will feature advanced classrooms, collaborative learning spaces, technology-enabled laboratories, and innovation hubs designed to provide students from Saudi Arabia and across the region with an American-style educational experience.
Douglas Schumann, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of New Haven in 1969 and received an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree in 2003, said the gift honors the values instilled by his parents.
“This gift is, above all, a tribute to my parents, Dorthy Dunlop [Dot] Schumann and Charles Frederick [Chick] Schumann,” Schumann said. “They believed that opportunity should never be limited by where a person happens to be born, and that education is the surest way to open doors. Helping to launch a college that will do exactly that, for students half a world away, honors their legacy in the truest sense.”
University President Jens Frederiksen, Ph.D., said the gift marks a defining moment for the institution and for global higher education.
“Douglas Schumann’s extraordinary generosity allows us to do something that has never been done before,” Frederiksen said. “This gift supports the opening of the first independently licensed American university campus in Saudi Arabia and positions the University of New Haven to lead the next chapter of global higher education. The College of Business and Digital Innovation will prepare future business leaders to shape the digital economy while expanding access to a U.S.-accredited education.”
University of New Haven–Riyadh represents a significant expansion of the University’s global footprint and reinforces its commitment to providing internationally recognized academic programs that prepare graduates for leadership in an increasingly connected world.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the University of New Haven’s Riyadh campus open?
The University of New Haven–Riyadh campus is expected to open in fall 2026, with its inaugural class of students.
Where is the University of New Haven–Riyadh located?
The campus is located in Misk City, a nonprofit innovation district in the heart of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
What is special about the University of New Haven’s Riyadh campus?
The campus is the first independently licensed U.S. university campus in Saudi Arabia, giving students access to an American-accredited education while supporting the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals for innovation, talent development, and economic diversification.
What is the first American university in Saudi Arabia?
The University of New Haven–Riyadh campus is the first independently licensed U.S. university campus in Saudi Arabia. The campus will offer American-accredited degree programs while supporting Saudi Arabia’s goals for innovation, entrepreneurship, digital transformation, and workforce development under Vision 2030.