New Jersey City University and Kean University advanced a formal merger agreement following NJCU’s financial distress, with plans to complete by mid-2026. Students will transition to Kean’s systems, gaining access to resources and athletic programming reviews underway. Meanwhile, IE University made a strategic investment opening a new graduate school in New York City, targeting international students despite U.S. policy headwinds. These moves reflect ongoing consolidation and international expansion activities reshaping the higher education landscape amid economic and policy uncertainties.