UNT to launch College of AI and Advanced Analytics via $20M gift
Alumnus Vikas Sinha and his wife Anuradha are funding a new institutional hub to train both the builders and stewards of AI.
The University of North Texas is establishing the Sinha College of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics following a $20 million donation from alumnus Vikas Sinha and his wife, Anuradha. The new college aims to institutionalize AI research and workforce preparation through a combination of technical development and interdisciplinary study.
The gift will fund six distinct endowments covering college leadership, student scholarships, and endowed professorships. Additionally, the funds are earmarked for advanced research, emerging technologies, and entrepreneurship and incubation efforts. The college will be structured into two primary academic divisions: one dedicated to building intelligent systems—including AI, cybersecurity, and data science—and another focused on human-institutional interaction, specifically library and information science.
Expanding the AI Footprint
This initiative marks a significant escalation in UNT's efforts to integrate artificial intelligence into its core academic offerings. The university recently approved a bachelor's degree in AI to address regional workforce demands. The Sinhas have an established history of philanthropy at the institution, having previously contributed $5 million toward data science initiatives, including a $3 million gift for a data science department in 2024 and $2 million for an innovation lab the previous year.
Vikas Sinha, who earned a Ph.D. in data science from UNT in 2023, currently serves as the VP of the mainframe software division at Broadcom. Sinha noted that the vision for the college extends beyond basic instruction. "It will prepare them to build it, understand it, question it, govern it and apply it responsibly," Sinha said, emphasizing the need to develop both the "builders and the stewards" of these systems.
Strategic and Financial Implications
The creation of a dedicated college signals a shift toward treating AI as a cross-disciplinary foundation rather than a standalone tool or major. By linking technical systems with information science and governance, UNT is positioning itself to lead in the ethical and practical application of AI across various sectors.
This expansion comes amid a challenging financial backdrop for the university. According to reports from The Dallas Morning News, UNT's graduate international student population dropped from approximately 6,200 in fall 2024 to 3,400 in fall 2025, a decline that has contributed to a budget shortfall. In this context, the Sinha gift highlights the critical role of international alumni in sustaining and advancing high-tech academic infrastructure in the U.S.
Future Outlook
UNT President Harrison Keller emphasized that the impact of international students extends far beyond their degrees, noting that they create jobs, lead communities, and generate opportunities for future generations. As the Sinha College takes shape, the university will focus on leveraging these endowments to attract top-tier faculty and provide scholarships to a new wave of AI specialists. Observers will be watching how the interdisciplinary institute within the college bridges the gap between technical AI development and the institutional governance required to manage it.