NJCU Expands Partnership with Caucasus University, Adding Five Dual Degree Programs
JERSEY CITY, N.J.| New Jersey City University (NJCU) and Caucasus University in Tbilisi,Georgia,have signed a comprehensive agreement expanding their academic partnership to include five new dual degree programs,building on their recently renewed cybersecurity collaboration.
the expansion adds degree programs in Media Arts, Political Science, Psychology, Graphic Arts and Design, and Business Analytics and Data Science to the existing cybersecurity program, bringing the total number of dual degrees to six.under the three-year model,students complete two intensive years of study at Caucasus University before spending their final year in residence at NJCU’s Jersey City campus,where they earn 30 credits to complete their bachelor’s degrees from both institutions.
The first cohorts in the new degrees will begin their study in CU in 2026 and continue in NJCU in 2028. In combination with the existing cyber program, it is indeed projected that the partnership will bring a minimum of 115 Caucasus University students to NJCU annually.When fully realized, the programs will generate an estimated total value of approximately $20 million throughout the life of the partnership.
The expanded agreement builds upon the renewal announced in February 2025, where students earn dual degrees in cybersecurity from NJCU and computer science from CU. The program is delivered entirely in English and meets the rigorous educational standards of both georgian and U.S. institutions. This accelerated joint program was the first of its kind between the universities and allows students to have access to cybersecurity experts and faculty across both institutions.
The first cohort of the renewed cybersecurity program began in CU this semester (Fall 2025) and will arrive in NJCU in fall 2027, with the sixth cohort scheduled to commence in CU in Fall 2030 and graduate from both CU and NJCU in 2033.
“This expanded partnership with Caucasus University represents exactly the kind of innovative, academically rigorous international collaboration that positions our students for success in an increasingly interconnected world,” said NJCU President Andrés Acebo. “By creating pathways for students to earn degrees from both institutions while experiencing the rich academic and cultural environments of both the Republic of Georgia and right here in New Jersey, we’re building bridges that will benefit students, faculty, and our broader communities for generations to come. I also extend a warm thank you to Caucasus President Kakha Shengelia and his team for their continuing partnership, friendship, and unwavering commitment to this crucial work.”
This partnership comes as NJCU prepares to merge with Kean University to form Kean Jersey City, a transformative initiative tentatively scheduled for completion by june 2026. Kean University supports the Caucasus university agreement as a catalyst for NJCU’s international program development, said Felice Vazquez, Kean’s chancellor of international campuses.
“Kean University has long believed in the power of global academic partnerships to expand access and enrich student learning,” Vazquez said. “From our campus in We