University of Santiago, Chile

The University of Santiago, Chile (Usach) is one of the country's oldest public universities. Under the administration of Manuel Bulnes, the school was founded in 1849 as the School of Arts and Crafts. Students' ages ranged from 15 to 18 at the time, making it a secondary school unit. Students were expected to be able to read and write, as well as do basic mathematical calculations. Students studied algebra, descriptive geometry, trigonometry, technical drawing, industrial mechanics, physics, and chemistry, as well as Spanish, history, and geography, in addition to intensive workshop training.

In 1947, it was renamed Technical University of the State, and it now has campuses all throughout the country. It became the University of Santiago, Chile, in 1981, as a result of a higher education reform under Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship, with all operations centralized on a single 340,000 m2 campus in the capital Santiago. The radio and television stations of the University of Santiago, Chile help to popularize local music through cultural programs and current events such as Escena Viva. Both have their own YouTube channels. In 2018, the University began airing a 24-hour television channel via signal 48.1 for an on-line open digital television in Santiago.

The university was ranked in the 401-500 range by Times Higher Education in 2017.

Location: Santiago, RM, Chile
Website: www.usach.cl
Ranking: 487th in TopUniversities Ranking, Etc.