University of Valle

The University of Valle, usually known as Univalle, is a Colombian public departmental, coeducational, research university centered principally in Cali, Valle del Cauca. With almost 30,000 students, it is the largest higher education institution in the southwest of the country and the third largest in Colombia. The Industrial University of Valle del Cauca was formed by Departmental Assembly Ordinance No. 12 of 1945, under the leadership of Tulio Ramrez Rojas and Severo Reyes Gamboa.

Cali is home to two campuses of the institution. The major one, Melendez University City, is located in Melendez's southern district and houses the colleges of Engineering, Humanities, Integrated Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences and Economics, as well as the institutes of Education and Pedagogy and Psychology. The Administration Sciences and Health faculties are housed in the second building, which is located in the heart of the San Fernando district. The university also has satellite campuses in the cities of Buenaventura, Buga, Caicedonia, Cartago, Palmira, Tuluá, Yumbo, and Zarzal in the department, as well as one in the neighboring Cauca department in the city of Santander de Quilichao. With 258 academic programs, including 65 master's and medical specializations, and 8 doctorates, the institution provides instruction at the technological, undergraduate, and postgraduate levels. It also houses a research excellence center, six research centers, three research institutes, and 204 research groups.

The Association of Colombian Universities (ASCUN), the Iberoamerican Association of Postgraduate Universities (AUIP), and the Iberoamerican University Network Universia are only a few of the university's affiliations. The universities of Valle, National, and Antioquia make up Colombia's Golden Triangle of higher education, and are among the country's most selective and competitive institutions. It is one of 15 institutions in the country to acquire high-quality institutional certification from the Ministry of Education, as part of Resolution 2020 from June 3, 2005. The certification was for an eight-year period, making the university one of only a few to receive such a long period of accreditation. The university is regarded as one of the best in the country, with a reputation for excellence in its health and engineering departments.