UTA Announces Westward Expansion
New Fort Worth campus will bring academic and research excellence to rapidly growing region
The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) continues to advance its commitment to academic excellence and research in the region with a proposed plan to purchase 51 acres of property in west Fort Worth within the Walsh Ranch development. On Monday, Aug. 5, The University of Texas System Board of Regents approved this plan and authorized the use of the Permanent University Fund (PUF) to purchase the property, paving the way for UTA West, a new campus dedicated to fostering economic development and meeting the educational needs of one of the fastest-growing areas in the country.
Advantageously positioned at the intersection of I-30 and I-20 at the western gateway of Fort Worth, the new campus is expected to begin welcoming students as early as fall 2028. UTA West will be developed as part of a multiyear plan to serve more than 10,000 students.
“Anytime the UT System can expand greater educational opportunity, access, and affordability to Texans, we’re going to do it,” said Kevin Eltife, chairman of the UT System Board of Regents. “We’ve recently done it in east Texas and south Texas, and now we’re heading west. We’re looking forward to planting a UT Arlington flag in west Fort Worth, currently the nation’s fastest growing city.”
“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,” added J.B. Milliken, chancellor of the UT System. “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 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,” said UTA President Jennifer Cowley, who wrote an op-ed for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram explaining how UTA West is a critical investment for the area.
"UTA West represents a transformative investment in our community’s future," said Robert Allen, Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership president. "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."
