Universidad Católica de Cuenca
Overview
Created on October 7, 1970, it started its activities in classroom mode with the careers of Agronomy, Business Management, Administration and Accounting; and Chemical Engineering. By 1977, it included the careers of Medicine, Nursing, and Law, Social and Political Sciences.
Currently, the classroom mode of the Catholic University of Cuenca, its academic offerings are divided into 25 undergraduate and 14 graduate programs distributed strategically throughout the Headquarters in Cuenca, Azogues Office, Macas Office and the Cañar and San Pablo de la Troncal Extensions.
The University as an essential part of its activities is based on the Organizational Principles, which are: Affordability, Accessibility, Adaptability and Acceptability with which it must comply:
- Provide regularly academic quality programs and services to satisfy the requirements of applicants and society, as well as laws and regulations applicable to higher education institutions,
- Seek to increase students' and society's overall satisfaction through the efficient implementation of an Institutional Development Model to account the complexity of university procedures, including those related with constant quality assurance in accordance with society, legal and regulatory requirements;
- Contribute to the current and future development of society.
Among the University' s strengths are:
- Available audio-visual media, production and community support units.
- Having a Research, Innovation and Technology Transfer Center with unique laboratories in the area and the country.
- Infrastructure and management capability in postgraduate programs. (classrooms, laboratories, clinics).
- Broad range of academic projects and programs in several provinces of the country with their proper infrastructure.
- A Diagnosis, Psychopedagogical Research and Support to Inclusion Unit DIPSAI as a reference in the area.
- Dentistry career with nationwide prestige, distinguished by its infrastructure, research laboratories, clinic, equipment with a social approach.
- Gradual and sustained growth of the brand in the region.
- Count on a qualified staff of both national and international researchers.
- Flexible academic sessions and schedules according to society's requests.
- Committed authorities, academic and administrative staff with a sense of belonging.
- Private university with the greatest number of applicants in terms of quota policies in the country.
- Administrative capability and committed leadership support in establishing links with national and international organizations.
- First Digital Manufacturing Lab (Fab Lab) at the service of the community.
- Researchers' residence accommodation offered.
Foreign language teaching programs at the Universidad Católica de Cuenca are organized and executed through its Language Center, an attached institute which provides its students with services in all the cities where it functions (Cuenca, Azogues, Macas, Cañar and La Troncal), by offering both classroom and non-classroom courses, as well as translations, placement, proficiency and sufficiency tests, and a range of seminars aimed to citizens. Currently, the languages taught at the Language Centre are English and also French, a latter through an agreement with the Alliance Française Institute. In total, around three and a half thousand students each semester attends the English and French courses in the facilities that are equipped with laboratories and software designed for teaching foreign languages.
The Language Center of the Catholic University of Cuenca, in its headquarters as well as in its offices and extensions, is responsible for certifying proficiency in a foreign language as required by law. Therefore, its main goal is to teach students a foreign language, according to the requirements established in the curricula of the courses and the Internal Academic Regulations which are in effect with quality standards set by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
The Language Center's staff is highly trained in language proficiency and has been certified by international examinations such as FCE, CAE and TOEFL, with a minimum of C1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages for such assessments, in addition of submitting fourth-level degrees under Ecuadorian regulations. Teachers are constantly being trained through continuous training programs sponsored by the Catholic University of Cuenca and the "Platinum Better Learning Partner" agreement with Cambridge University Press, in order to guarantee the quality of English language learning. Furthermore, the quality of French language learning is guaranteed by the Alliance Française with its worldwide recognized language teaching program and through the TCF exam (Test de Connaissance du Français).
Also, to satisfy personal, academic, professional and employment needs of the postgraduate programs of the Catholic University of Cuenca and universities nationwide, as well as people in general, also offers English courses in non-classroom mode through the "Rosetta Stone" online platform, with support and supervision by the teachers of the Language Centre to promote language skills development from levels A1 to B1 for people who want to manage their learning in an autonomous, independent way and depending on their schedule and needs.
The Catholic University of Cuenca offers an education based on the realities and needs of young people in the 21st century. This makes it possible to have international students from countries such as Chile, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Spain and the United States. In this manner, these professionals return to their countries of origin with new perspectives, skills and global abilities that allow them to contribute to their societies in their different areas of training.
93% of the students identify themselves as mixed race; 5% belongs to other nationalities, and the last 2 % recognized themselves to other ethnic groups recognized in the country. We work on the southern area with the Azuay, Cañar and Morona Santiago provinces. We offer undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in both face-to-face and online/distance learning. Our branches are located in Azogues and Macas; the extensions are cities of Cañar and San Pablo de La Troncal. We also support centers in Mendez, Quito, Tena and Zamora.
Extracurricular activities contribute to the acquisition of cognitive and social skills of the students. These activities involve them in different proposals that are posed directly by the students. It is through student leadership that a committee that creates projects that involve even the university community.
It is important to consider the wide range of extracurricular activities in which students can participate and become aware of this type of experience as part of their training and individual development. These activities develop around their interests while helping in the construction of their identity.
We offer Track, Basketball, Taekwondo, Triathlon, Judo, Volleyball, and Racquet Ball.
In the fine arts field, we offer: dance, folk music, poetry and painting. We also offer declamation and photography. These aspects promote and strengthen the physical and intellectual skills of the students.
Students live off campus. In the case of those who come from other cities or countries usually find housing facilities near the university.
However, in the Ricaurte parish, the University has the Miracielos Casa de Estancia Universitaria which can accommodate up to 20 researchers and/or exchange students working on research activities or internships in the academic area. This facility is equipped with a recreational area, kitchen, laundry, dining room; high speed internet access, as well as basic services that guarantee a comfortable stay, surrounded by a beautiful country landscape that invites reflection and serenity.
When the applicants have decided on a career, they will complete their pre-registration form on the following web page www.ucacue.edu.ec or at the following link: https://erpuniversity.ucacue.edu.ec/modules/admision/inscripcionnuevo.php, in which the applicant must provide their personal information: career of choice, ID number, first names, last names, date of birth, marital status, nationality, whether or not he/she has any disabilities, home address, telephone number, cell phone number, e-mail address, high school, bachelor's degree major, graduation year, academic record. After completing their registration, they proceed with the corresponding payment.
Once applicants have completed the registration process, they are eligible to enroll in our leveling-induction course, as scheduled for each career.
With the approval of the leveling-induction course, the applicants will be allowed to register in the first cycle in the chosen career, through the Catholic University of Cuenca's website.
The documentation required by international students is similar to national students, with an additional requirement of validation or homologation of the bachelor's degree of their country from the Ministry of Education and Culture of Ecuador.Under the General Regulations for Undergraduate Scholarships, approved by the Council of the Catholic University of Cuenca, in March 2012 the scholarships granted to students, are aimed mainly to promote academic excellence in students with high academic or artistic achievements. The Catholic University of Cuenca, as part of its scholarship granting system, supports students with low incomes, in their normal schooling and higher education completion, and to stimulate outstanding performance of students in scientific, sports and cultural activities.
- Scholarships are granted per cycle or academic period, according to the following criteria. a)Complete Scholarship: Full tuition and fee exemption, granted to regular students, as long as the requirements are fulfilled. This scholarship will be granted for an academic year. Does not include exemption of fees related to valued species and others not included in the tuition and fees.
b)Partial Scholarship: Constituted by a percentage exoneration of the tuition and fees, which is granted in benefit of students, regular, having fulfilled the requirements, established in the regulations of partial scholarship and will be granted for an academic year, and does not exempt from fees, related to valued species and others not included in tuition and fees.
Students, both national and international, are eligible for the following scholarship items.- Insufficient financial resources
- Regular students with a high average
- Students with academic or artistic achievements
- Disability
- High-performance athletes representing in national or international events
- Ethnic Groups and Nationalities
- Migrants who have been returned or have been removed, as long as they have a minimum average of "Very Good (81/100)":
For further information about the scholarship process of the Catholic University of Cuenca, please check the following link:
https://www.ucacue.edu.ec/becas/
Graduates from the Catholic University of Cuenca are considered an essential part of the university community. The 2020 report from the Graduate Monitoring area showed the employability data and curricular aspects regarding the professionals from the last three years: 2017-2018-2019. The total of graduates is 4,474 and the sample was carried out on 3.076 of them.
Of the 3,076 (100%) surveyed graduates, 1,759 (57.18%) are currently working; while 1,317 (42.82%) are studying, looking for a job and spending time with their families.
Of the 1,759 (57.18%) graduates who are working, 619 (35.19%) have managed to get their first job within 6-12 months after their graduation or finishing their medicine internships.
Of the 1,759 (57.18%) working professionals, 1,293 (73.51%) work in their professional field; for 466 (26.49%) graduates their work is unrelated to their professional field.
Programs available
Undergraduate Faculties/Departments and Programs
Academic Administration Unit
Academic Unit Education
Academic Unit of Agricultural Sciences
Academic Unit of Engineering, Industry and Construction
Academic Unit of Health and Well-being
Academic Unit of Information and Communication Technologies
Academic Unit of Social Sciences
Postgraduate Faculties/Departments and Programs
Postgraduate
- Master in Accounting and Auditing with mention in Tax Management
- Master in Civil Engineering with Mention in Seismic Resistant Structures
- Master in Clinical and Molecular Laboratory Diagnosis
- Master in Clinical Psychology with Mencipon in Psychotherapy
- Master in Communication with mention in Digital Communication
- Master in Constitutional Law with mention in Constitutional Procedural Law
- Master in Education, Technology and Innovation
- Master in Information Technology
- Master in Local Development
- Master in Physical Education and Sports Training
- Master in Renewable Energies
- Master in Social Work with Mention in Social Projects
- Master of Business Administration with Mention in Project Management and Direction
- Master of Care Management
- Master of Medical Law
- Masters of Business Administration
- Orthodontic Specialization
- Professional Master's Degree in Construction with a minor in Sustainable Construction Management
- Research Master in Pedagogy with Mention in Teaching and Educational Innovation
University Highlights
Total students - 16,933
Total faculty staff - 829
Total students - 16,933
Total faculty staff - 829
Campus Locations
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