National University of Colombia facts for kids

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National University of Colombia
Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Latin: Universitas Nationalis Columbiensis
Motto	Inter-Aulas-Academiæ-Quære-Verum
Motto in English	Search the truth in the rooms of the academy
Type	Public, National
Established	September 22, 1867
Rector	Leopoldo Múnera Ruiz
Academic staff	3,114 (2019)
Administrative staff	2,932 (2019)
Students	53,304 (2019)
Undergraduates	44,621
Postgraduates	8,683
Doctoral students	1,278
Location	Bogotá , Cundinamarca , Colombia 4°38′8″N 74°4′58″W / 4.63556°N 74.08278°W / 4.63556; -74.08278
Campus	Urban, 300 acres (1,214,056.9 m²)
Colours	Green and Red

The National University of Colombia (in Spanish: Universidad Nacional de Colombia) is a very important public research university in Colombia. It has large campuses in cities like Bogotá, Medellín, Manizales, and Palmira. There are also smaller campuses in places like Leticia and San Andrés.

This university was started way back in 1867 by the Congress of Colombia. It's one of the biggest universities in the country, with over 53,000 students! The university offers many different study programs. You can choose from 95 types of first degrees, 167 master's degrees, and 65 doctorate degrees. About 44,000 students are studying for their first degree, and 8,000 are doing postgraduate studies.

The National University is part of several important groups, like the Association of Colombian Universities. It's also known as one of the "Golden Triangle" universities in Colombia. This means it's one of the best and most competitive places to study. Studies show that it produces the most scientific papers in Colombia. It also ranks very high in Latin America for its online presence. In 2023, it was ranked among the top universities in the world by QS World University Rankings.

The university offers a huge variety of subjects. You can study things like medicine, nursing, dentistry, engineering, chemistry, pharmacy, mathematics, physics, geology, biology, psychology, social sciences, arts (like music and fine arts), languages, philosophy, and law. It was even the first university in Colombia to offer a computer science postgraduate program in 1967.

Campuses: Places to Learn and Grow
- Bogotá Campus: The White City
- Medellín Campus: Engineering and More
Academics: What You Can Study
Noted People: Leaders and Innovators
- Past Leaders of the University
- Famous Alumni: People Who Studied Here
Gallery
See also

Campuses: Places to Learn and Grow

Bogotá Campus: The White City

The main campus of the National University is in Bogotá. It's called the University City of Bogotá, but people also call it the "White City." It's located in the Teusaquillo area, not too far from the city center. This campus is huge, covering an area of about 300 acres! It has lots of green spaces, open areas, and paths for walking.

Many of its buildings are considered national monuments. They show how Colombian architecture has changed over the last 60 years. The campus was designed by a German educator named Fritz Karsen and an architect named Leopold Rother. They started building it in 1935.

Central square, Bogota campus

The campus is shaped like an oval, divided into five parts. Each part has a different academic area. If you look at it from above, it even looks a bit like an owl! This shape is meant to connect with wisdom and knowledge. The buildings are white blocks, giving them a simple and clean look.

Some famous spots on campus include the León de Greiff Auditorium. There's also the Francisco de Paula Santander Plaza, often called the "Central Plaza" or "Ché Plaza." The campus even has its own stadium, where professional football games are sometimes played.

Medellín Campus: Engineering and More

The National University also has a campus in Medellín. It has two main areas: the Central Campus and the Robledo Campus. About 10,447 students study here. This campus is known for its strong engineering programs. In fact, it has the most engineering programs (17) of all the National University campuses.

The Central Campus in Medellín is located near the El Volador hill eco-park. It became part of the university in 1938. This campus has many learning centers. You can find an Entomological Museum (for insects) and a Mycology Museum (for fungi) here. There's also a large library called "Efe Gomez."

The Robledo Campus is also known as the School of Mines. It was created in 1886 and joined the university in 1936. About 3,500 students attend this campus. It has a Museum of Geosciences. Some of its buildings are also national monuments because of their unique architecture and murals. The Medellín campus has 5 faculties and offers 25 different careers.