Universidad del Norte (Colombia)

On December 15, 1965, the provisional board of directors of the University of the Caribbean Foundation (Fundación Universidad del Caribe) was established. A month later, it was decided that it would be named Fundación Universidad del Norte (University of the North Foundation). However, the institution was officially established on January 24, 1966, with the signing of its founding charter by Karl C. Parrish Jr. and a group of businessmen from Barranquilla, belonging to the National Association of Industrialists (ANDI), the Colombian Institute of Administration (Incolda), and the Barranquilla Foundation, now known as the Mario Santo Domingo Foundation. The institution obtained its legal status through Resolution No. 149 of February 14, 1966, granted by the Governor of the Department of Atlántico. The educational activities of Universidad del Norte began in the El Prado neighborhood (Carrera 53 No. 82-135) on July 11, 1966, with Julio Muvdi Abufhele (1966-1970), an engineer from Barranquilla, serving as its first rector. At that time, the University consisted of 58 students and ten professors teaching the basic courses in Business Administration and Engineering. In 1970, the Colombian Institute for the Evaluation of Education (ICFES) approved the opening of the Psychology program, one of the first in Colombia. During the presidency of Misael Pastrana (1970-1974), on November 20, 1971, the cornerstone was laid at the site where the University campus is currently located in the municipality of Puerto Colombia. At that time, the institution had 1,027 students, and the rector was the economist José Tcherassi Guzmán (1970-1973). That same year, the Industrial Engineering and Mechanical Engineering programs were approved by ICFES. Following the donation of six hectares by Cementos del Caribe, now Argos, and the involvement of several other companies as donors, the university campus was inaugurated with the construction of the first three buildings on January 25, 1973. Universidad del Norte received official recognition from the Presidency of the Republic of Colombia and the Ministry of National Education through Resolution 263 of February 22, 1973. In December 1973, civil engineer Boris Rosanía Salive assumed the rectorship (1974-1980), and under his leadership, the La Playa project (later renamed the Atlantic Coast Project) was created. The Medicine and Nursing programs were launched. The University of the North Research Center (CIUN) was also established. From 1980 to 2018, the philosopher and Doctor of Social Sciences, Jesús Ferro Bayona, served as rector. During his tenure, the University of the North began its modernization process, expanding its undergraduate programs and launching graduate programs at the master's and doctoral levels. Principals • Julio Muvdi Abufhele (1966-1970) • José Tcherassi Guzmán (1970-1973) • Boris Rosanía Salive (1974-1980) • Jesús Ferro Bayona (1980-2018) • Adolfo Meisel Roca (2018-) == Undergraduate programs ==