District University of Bogotá

Francisco José de Caldas District University
Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas
Latin: Universitas Distritalis
Motto	Ubi Veritas Ibi Libertas
Motto in English	Where there is truth there is freedom
Established	1948
Type	Public
Rector	Inocencio Bahamón
Students	26,140[1]
Undergraduates	24,825
Postgraduates	1,315
Location	Bogotá, Colombia
Campus	Urban
Former names	Municipal University of Bogotá (1948-1957)
Colors	Red and Yellow
Nickname	La Distrital
Affiliations	ASCUN, AUIP, Universia
Website	http://www.udistrital.edu.co/

The Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas (Spanish: Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas), or just called La Distrital, is a public, coeducational, research university based Bogotá, Colombia. It is the second most important public higher education institution in the city, after the National University of Colombia, with a population of 26,140 students.^[1] It was founded in 1948, by Priest Daniel de Caicedo, who would become its first rector, with the support of the Bogotá City Council, as the Municipal University of Bogotá (Spanish: Universidad Municipal de Bogotá). It changed its name to the current in 1957 when the municipality of Bogotá became a district. Its establishment was officialized by the decree No. 1030 of 1970, issued by the national government. The university offers 70 programs at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including 4 master and 1 doctorates.^[1]

Faculty of engineering District University of Bogotá

The university is member of the Association of Colombian Universities (ASCUN),^[2] the Iberoamerican Association of Postgraduate Universities (AUIP),^[3] and the Iberoamerican University Network Universia.

History

La Macarena Campus

The Francisco José de Caldas District University was founded in 1948, on initiative of the priest Daniel de Caicedo, who was its first principal. The foundation act of the "Universidad Municipal de Bogotá" (as it was originally named) stated that it was a university created by the Bogotá City Council to give education to the poorest young men of the city.^{[citation needed]}

Another fundamental characteristic of the University is that its programs were chosen so that they could bring solutions to the problems of the city. Hence, the first program to be created was Radiotechnology, which in time became the Electronics Engineering program. The other program was Topography which still exists and in time gave birth to the Cadastral Engineering program. Another program was dedicated to the care and conservation of the environment, later named Forest Engineering.

The first University building was located where today stands the Museo de Desarrollo Urbano (Urban Development Museum) in the Calle 10th with Carrera 8th, in front of the Palacio Liévano (Liévano Palace) and the Capitolio Nacional (National Capitol).

In the year 1957, the city of Bogotá became the "Distrito Especial" (Special District) and the University was then named "Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas" after the first Colombian scientist Francisco José de Caldas.

In the 1970s the departments of Physics and Chemistry were created, and the University increased its student population. In 1979 due to political and organizational difficulties, the University was closed for two years and reopened, totally renewed with a newly constructed campus, in the neighborhood La Macarena.

Between the years 1993 and 1994, technological programs arose, The Engineering programs gained strength and the Environment and Natural Resources programs were created, which have opened the University towards society and rest of the academic world.

Nowadays the University sees itself as the higher education institution serving the Capital District and the Central Region of the country.

Picture of the place where an office of IEEE works in the District University of Bogotá, Colombia.

Campus

It is constituted by buildings and campus around the Bogotá city

• Science and Education Campus Formerly named 'La Macarena'
• Faculty of Engineering - Sabio Caldas Building
• Alejandro Suárez Copete Building
• Technological Faculty Campus
• Faculty of Art - ASAB Campus
• Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources campus.

Academics

• Faculty of Engineering
• Faculty of Science and Education
• Environment Faculty
• Faculty of Art - ASAB
• Technological Faculty
• Language Institute -ILUD
• Accreditation Committee
• Educational Study and Research Institute

See also

	Colombia portal
	University portal

• List of universities in Colombia

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c} Vicerrectoría Académica (2007). Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas - Plan Estratégico de Desarrollo 2007-2016. Bogotá, Colombia: Universidad del Valle. http://www.udistrital.edu.co/comunidad/dependencias/vicerrectoria/documentos/PlanDesarrolloAprobadoDocumentoFinal.pdf. 
2. ^ "ASCUN - Universidades Afiliadas" (in Spanish). http://www.ascun.org.co/afiliada.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-22. 
3. ^ "Instituciones Asociadas a la AUIP" (in Spanish). http://www.auip.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=282&Itemid=196&lang=es. Retrieved 2009-02-22. 

External links

• Francisco José de Caldas District University official website (Spanish)

Coordinates: 4°37′41″N 74°03′55″W / 4.62806°N 74.06528°W / 4.62806; -74.06528