Pontifical Bolivarian University

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The person of Jesus is the center of the Catholic University and the teacher of the Faith

Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (UPB) is one of the most important private universities in Colombia belonging to the Catholic Archdiocese of Medellín as a Pontifical University. The University has its main campus in Medellín City where it was originally created in 1936, but nowadays the superior institution has other sections in other important centers of the Latinoamerican country such as Bucaramanga (the city capital of Santander Department), Montería (the city capital of Córdoba Department) and Palmira (one of the most important urban centers of the Valle del Cauca Department). In Medellín, UPB has also a secondary campus in Barrio Robledo dedicated to the Medicine Superior School.

[edit] History

The Libertador, Simón Bolívar: His ideals inspired the identity of the University in his commitment for the human development of the country

Universidad Bolivariana was officially founded on September 15, 1936 by the Catholic Archbishop of Medellín, Mgr.Tiberio de Jesús Salazar y Herrera. The city has been throughout the Colombian history as a true Catholic stronghold and a renown space of the Catholic education. The University was dedicated also to the Libertador of the Americas, General Simón Bolívar as a symbol of a deep commitment and love to the Homeland and to the Latinoamerican belonging.

A year later, the Republic of Colombia recognized officially the superior institution.

It was in 1945 when the superior institution became Pontifical, getting all the support, sympathy and full identity from the Holy See with Pope Pius XII. Since then it came to be named Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (it would be in English Pontifical Bolivarian University) and it became popular in the region through its abbreviation in Spanish UPB. With the right to use such title of Pontifical from the Holy See, the Pope became the Grand Chancellor of the Colombian superior institute. But it would be only until the Pontifical visit of Pope John Paul II to Medellín that the university would see the presence of its superior leader to see the center in July, 1986. In his speech to the intellectuals and students of superior institutions, the Pope said in the Seminario Conciliar de Medellín that "It is a fact that Universities as they are, being it as a group of professors and students, being it as centers of knowdlege, they together become an object of investigation, teaching and learning, and they are a helpful area to guide the culture and society of a nation and a continent".

A fact of its recent history was an airplane crash accident, March 30, 2006 into the Main Campus of the University in Medellín. The unfortunated craft fall down in the UPB's High School killing the 5 tripulants and two kids while 5 other children were lightly injured plus the terror caused to all the academic community.

[edit] The Main Campus

The Main Campus is located in Medellín City. The Campus is also the heart of one of the most beautiful districts of the City, Barrio Laureles, disigned by Professor Pedro Nel Gómez (1899 - 1984), one of the most standing architects and paisa artists of the 20th Century. The District makes an artistic net of streets and boulevards around the UPB Campus and it becomes also a natural green area in one of the most populated area of the Center-West Commune. Two of the most important avenues that combined in the University are Avenida 70 and Avenida Nutibara: The first connects the University towards the North with the Atanasio Girardot Stadium and the second toward the East with Medellín's downtown. Buildings with a harmony landscape immerse in a great garden house places as the high school, the chapel, the health service, the library and schools as law, social communication, architecture, languages department, engineering and the rectorate.

Medellín, a traditional Catholic stronhold of Colombia is the city seat of UPB.

[edit] Identity

The identity of this Catholic University rest in the so called "Espíritu Bolivariano" (Bolivarian Spirit), a philosophy designed by Mgr. Manuel José Sierra inspired in human Christian values and the ideals of the Libertador.

[edit] Mission

The integral formation through evangelization of the culture, constant research of truth through science and confirmation of the human values from Christianity for the good of society.

[edit] Vision

Being a Catholic institution of excellent education in the integral formation of persons with ethical, scientist and social leadership to the service of the nation.

[edit] Principles

1. Respect for the human being and no discrimination.
2. Research of truth and knowdlege.
3. Solidarity.
4. Justice.
5. Honesty.
6. Creativity and innovation.
7. Loyalty.
8. Commitment for peace and development for the country.

[edit] Academics

The following are the main centers of education at UPB:

Superior Schools:

1. School of Design and Architecture.[1]
2. School of Health Sciences.[2]
3. School of Strategic Sciences.[3]
4. School of Social Sciences.[4]
5. School of Law and Political Sciences. [5]
6. School of Education. [6]
7. School of Engineering. [7]
8. School of Theology, Philosophy and Humanities.[8]

[edit] UPB Bucaramanga

The first section of UPB outside Medellín was open in Bucaramanga in 1991

In one of the most beautiful and developed cities of Colombia, Bucaramanga, the City Capital of Santander Department, at the North East of the country, UPB has a section that was opened in July 12, 1991 in the Archdiocesan Seminary. In 1998 UPB would have its own home in the Piedecuesta Highway, 7 kilometers away from the City. The University has programs as Business Administration, Informatic, Electronic, Industry, Law, Environment, Social Communication, Psychology and Mechanics. Nowadays UPB Bucaramanga has 3,286 students.

[edit] UPB Montería

In the City Capital of Córdoba Department, Montería, UPB opened a new section in May 25, 1995. The city is located in a strategic region, the Coastland North of Colombia that opens to the country its presence in one of the most dynamic seas of the world: Caribbean Sea. The main subject of the University is law, especially in administration, family and process and management for engineers, business, projects, environment, economics and marketing. Nowadays the University has 2,028 students.

[edit] UPB Palmira

In one of the main urban centers of the Valle del Cauca Department, Palmira, in a region of a strong economy and production of the South West of Colombia, UPB opened a section in 2001 with programs as Psychology, Marketing, Management of Human Resources, General Management, Economics and Public Management. The University has nowadays 218 students and it is the newest section in Colombia.

[edit] UPB in the world

UPB as one of the main private superior institutions of Colombia, is member of different international associations and programs. It is also a chair of Unesco on Human Development and a member of the Foundation for Studies in France. It belongs also to the Sígueme Program (Follow me), a group that gathered 10 Colombian universities. UPB has agreements with universities of Germany, Argentina, Brasil, Canada, Chile, Spain, France, England, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, United State, Colombia, Cuba and Venezuela.

[edit] UPB Libraries

UPB has also a complete system of documentation and bibliography which its main headquarters in the Main Campus of Barrio Laureles known as "Biblioteca Central" (Central Library) in a modern building of four stories with hundreds of volumens of authors, subjetcs and research studies. Every school at UPB has its own library interconnected with the Central one.

[edit] See also

• Notable faculty and alumni
• Past presdients

[edit] Documentation

• Así nos habló: Visita Apostólica de S.S. Juan Pablo II a Colombia, Julio 1 a 7 de 1986, Comité Ejecutivo Nacional, Secretariado Permanente del Episcopado Colombiano, Bogotá, 1986. (He spoke to us like this: Apostolic Visit of Pope John Paul II to Colombia)

[edit] External link

• www.upb.edu.co