University of Panama

What University of Panama does

The University of Panama (Universidad de Panamá) is Panama's national public university, founded in 1935 and headquartered in the Bella Vista district of Panama City. It is the country's largest and oldest public higher education institution, operating 19 faculties organized into three areas (Technology/Natural Sciences/Administration, Social Sciences/Humanities, and Health Sciences), 10 regional university centers across all provinces of Panama plus an Aguadulce extension, and 349 degree programs (188 undergraduate, 161 postgraduate). The institution serves approximately 83,595 undergraduate students as of July 2024, supported by 4,731 faculty members as of December 31, 2023, and has produced 287,729 graduates since its founding. Leadership rests with Rector Dr. Eduardo Flores Castro.

The university operates an integrated digital ecosystem supporting academic administration and student services, including the UpVirtual online learning platform, Campus Virtual E-ducativa, SIRIUP (research information and registration system), SIREDE (electronic diplomas), Up Pagos (digital payment system), Carnet Digital Estudiantil (digital student ID), Talonario Digital (payment voucher system for staff), and Editorial Digital UP (digital publishing). Beyond core academic functions, it operates ancillary service divisions: Imprenta Universitaria (printing services), Clínica Universitaria (medical clinic), Centro de Lenguas/CELUP (language courses and TOEFL certification), and COIF (childcare for staff). Research output is formalized through 14 scientific journal titles and 13 specialized research institutes.

The business model combines government budget allocation with regulated tuition and fees. Public university tuition is regulated; specific program fees vary by faculty and degree level. Supplementary revenue comes from professional certification services (TOEFL preparation at $150 per 48-hour course, English comprehension exams at $50, bimonthly language courses at $90), printing and publishing services (Imprenta Universitaria, Editorial Universitaria), and the Centro de Lenguas offering courses in nine languages. The primary customer segment is Panamanian secondary school graduates; secondary segments include graduate students, professionals requiring language certification for civil service compliance (under Ley N° 2 del 14 de enero 2003), community healthcare patients, and external clients of printing/publishing services. The institution holds a 3-Star QS rating, participates in QS World University Rankings 2025 and QS Sustainability Ranking 2025, and holds a 6-year institutional reaccreditation from CONEAUPA.

Name

University of Panama

Legal name

Universidad de Panamá

Website

https://up.ac.pa

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The University of Panama is Panama's largest national public university, founded in 1935, serving approximately 83,595 undergraduate students across 19 faculties, 10 regional centers, and 349 degree programs, with an integrated digital ecosystem for learning, research, certification, and ancillary services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Cooperative Education (Co-op) Technical Universities (EDAHAEAF)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Postgraduate education
• Language certification
• Academic publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Ciudad De Panamá

HQ country

Panama

HQ region

Latin America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Public university funded primarily by government allocation with student tuition fees for various programs including undergraduate, graduate, continuing education courses, and certification exams
2. Professional Certification Services: Fees for language proficiency exams (TOEFL, comprehension exams) and certification services through the Centro de Lenguas
3. Printing and Publishing Services: University press and printing services (Imprenta Universitaria), editorial publications through Editorial Digital UP

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The University of Panama is Panama's national public university, delivering accredited undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs across 19 faculties and 10 regional centers, supplemented by continuing education, language certification (TOEFL preparation and English comprehension exams), academic research publication, university press/printing services, a university medical clinic, and preschool childcare for staff. It operates 349 degree programs (188 undergraduate, 161 postgraduate) serving approximately 83,595 undergraduate students with 4,731 faculty members.

Product overview

The University of Panama offers a unified portfolio of institutional digital services centered around academic administration and student support. The core educational platforms include UpVirtual (online learning) and Campus Virtual E-ducativa (virtual campus infrastructure), supported by SIRIUP (research management) and the Scientific Journal Portal (research publishing). Student-facing services include digital credentials (SIREDE), student consultation portal, digital student ID (Carnet Digital), digital payment systems (Up Pagos and Talonario Digital), and library services (SIBIUP). The university also operates digital publishing through Editorial Digital UP, language education through Centro de Lenguas with TOEFL preparation, healthcare via Clínica Universitaria, printing services through Imprenta Universitaria, and childcare via COIF. These services collectively form an integrated digital ecosystem supporting the institution's 349 academic programs across 19 faculties and 10 regional centers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UpVirtual: Virtual campus and online learning platform
• Up Pagos
• Editorial Digital UP
• Editorial Universitaria
• SIRIUP
• Up en Directo
• Clínica Médica
• Centro de Lenguas
• Biblioteca Simón Bolívar

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs Accredited undergraduate bachelor's degree programs across 19 faculties and 10 regional centers, designed for Panamanian secondary school graduates seeking professional qualification across technology, sciences, administration, social sciences, humanities, and health sciences.
• Postgraduate Degree Programs 161 master's and doctoral programs for professionals and researchers seeking advanced academic credentials, specialized expertise, and research positions.
• UpVirtual Distance Learning Platform

Quantifiable outcome

• 83,595 undergraduate students enrolled as of July 2024
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Universidad Tecnológica de Babahoyos (UTB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcuadorian university collaborating through Editorial Digital UP platform for joint book publications and academic content sharing under the 'Libros por convenio' (books by agreement) series
• Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar (UTB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerColombian university collaborating through Editorial Digital UP platform for joint book publications and academic content sharing under the 'Libros por convenio' series
• Universidad Tecnológica del Norte (UTE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcuadorian university collaborating through Editorial Digital UP platform for joint book publications and academic content sharing
• Universidad de Especialidades y Tecnología (UTE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcuadorian university (another institution also abbreviated UTE) collaborating through Editorial Digital UP for joint publishing initiatives

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá: Panama's second major public university with a strong focus on engineering and technology. Directly competes with UP's engineering and technical faculties for students and faculty across the country.
• Universidad Santa María la Antigua (USMA): Panama's oldest private university, founded by the Catholic Church. Competes directly with UP for undergraduate and graduate students, particularly in law, business, and humanities, but with greater program flexibility.
• Universidad Latina de Panamá: One of Panama's largest private universities offering degree programs across multiple faculties. Directly competes with UP for Panamanian students seeking more flexible scheduling and private-sector program options.
• Universidad del Istmo: Panamanian private university offering undergraduate and graduate programs. Competes with UP in business, engineering, and health sciences across Panama's domestic higher education market.
• Universidad Americana (Panama): Panamanian private university with multiple campuses offering programs in business, engineering, health, and law. Directly competes with UP for both traditional and continuing-education students in Panama.
• Columbus University (Panama): Panamanian private university focused on international business education with US-style programs. Competes with UP's business and international-focused programs, particularly for working professionals.

Regional players

• Florida State University Panama: Branch campus of a major US public university operating in Panama City. Competes with UP for upper-income Panamanian students and professionals seeking US-credentialed degrees without leaving Panama.
• Universidad de Costa Rica: Costa Rica's flagship public university and the largest in Central America. Comparable as a national comprehensive public university in a neighboring country, providing a regional benchmark for scale and program breadth.

Broad incumbents

• Tecnológico de Monterrey: Mexico's largest private university with strong technology and business programs and Latin American reach. Comparable to UP as a comprehensive university but with much larger scale, private-sector agility, and online platform maturity.
• Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM): Latin America's largest public university with comprehensive programs, research output, and international recognition. Comparable to UP as a flagship national public university but operating at substantially greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/UNIVERSIDAD_PMA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/universidad-de-panama

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about University of Panama