The University of Texas Arlington announced on Monday plans to build a 51-acre campus west of Fort Worth.
“Recently ranked the No.1 public university in North Texas by The Wall Street Journal, UT Arlington is opening a new UTA West campus to bring a hometown, comprehensive university with academic and research excellence to the rapidly growing region,” the UTA West website states.
The new campus will be located in the Walsh Ranch Development located at the intersection of I-30 and I-20, according to a press release. It will be “dedicated to fostering economic development and meeting the educational needs of one of the fastest-growing areas in the country.”
The University of Texas System Board of Regents approved the new campus and authorized the use of the Permanent University Fund to purchase the property. The campus is expected to serve over 10,000 students.
“The western part of the metroplex has an ever-growing population, a plethora of student talent, and a wide breadth of opportunity for explosive economic advancement. UTA has long been a top supplier of talent to companies across Fort Worth, and this expansion will allow UTA to broaden its impact across our region,” Jennifer Cowley, UTA president, said.
Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership president Robert Allen welcomed the expansion.
“UTA West represents a transformative investment in our community’s future. By aligning educational resources with the region’s economic needs, UTA is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping a skilled workforce capable of meeting the demands of 21st-century industries,” said Allen.
UTA is not the only university expanding in the region. Texas A&M is expanding with a first-of-its-kind urban research campus intended to boost the regional economy, as previously reported by The Dallas Express. The first project will house the Law & Education Building, a $150 million, eight-story home for the Texas A&M School of Law as well as other academic offerings by Texas A&M University, Texas A&M Health and Tarleton State University.
Mayor Mattie Parker described the importance of the new campuses.
“You cannot have a growing, thriving community — a population of a million people — and not be thinking about the way our workforce is educated,” Mayor Mattie Parker said, reported KERA News.
J.B. Milliken, chancellor of the UT System, agreed with Parker.
“Years from now when we look back at major milestones in the life of the Fort Worth region and UT Arlington’s history, this new campus will rise to be among the top,” said Milliken. “As cities prepare for rapid growth, the presence of great universities contributes immensely to their vibrant transformation, and we applaud the very special relationship between UT Arlington and Fort Worth as they plan for the future in such an insightful and strategic way.”
The first building for the new campus is expected to open in 2028, per KERA News.
The Dallas Express contacted UTA’s Office of Media Relations and Communications but did not receive a response.