Bolivian Catholic University

What Bolivian Catholic University does

Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo (UCB), operating under the brand "Bolivian Catholic University," is a private Catholic institution of higher education founded in 1966 and headquartered in La Paz, Bolivia. The university delivers undergraduate (Grado) and postgraduate (Post Grado) academic programs across disciplines including health sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and theology through a multi-campus structure comprising six regional Sedes Académicas in La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Tarija, Sucre, and Oruro, supplemented by rural academic units in Carmen Pampa, Altiplano, and Sacaca. Its go-to-market is event-driven: prospective students are recruited through campus visits, open houses, secondary school engagement, and direct admissions, with international mobility programs and FIUC network partnerships serving as secondary channels.

The university is built on a conventional higher-education technology stack rather than proprietary IP: academic operations run on SIIAN (SIAAN) for student registration, enrollment, and grading; virtual education is delivered via the UCBx platform, which sits on Moodle LMS; institutional productivity runs on Google Workspace (UCB Workspace); library services run on Koha; tuition payment processing is integrated with Banco Bisa for bank transfers and QR payments; and a community radio station (Radio Comunitaria Online U.C.B.) operates on the SECRAD broadcasting system. Research infrastructure comprises 8 research institutes, 16 research centers, and 30 student scientific societies, with outputs indexed through SCIELO Bolivia.

UCB's revenue model is tuition-based and subscription-style: students pay per-semester or per-course fees that vary by program level (undergraduate vs. graduate) and campus, with annual billing cadences; postgraduate programs command higher tuition than undergraduate programs. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and requires direct contact with campus admissions offices. Complementary revenue is generated through international mobility programs (dual degrees, student and faculty exchanges), pastoral programs, and externally-organized events such as the recurring International Congress on Climate Resilience. Ownership rests with institutional leadership and Bolivian Catholic Church-affiliated governing bodies (Rectorado Nacional and Junta Directiva); no parent company, private equity backing, or public listing exists. The institution holds stacked national and international accreditations (CEUB, MERCOSUR, CINDA, IIDEA) and a QS STARS rating, which function as primary credentialing moats in the Bolivian private higher-education market.

Name

Bolivian Catholic University

Legal name

Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo

Website

https://ucb.edu.bo

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo (Bolivian Catholic University) is a private Catholic institution founded in 1966, operating six regional campuses plus rural units across Bolivia to deliver undergraduate and postgraduate education, virtual learning via UCBx, and research through 8 institutes and 16 centers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Nonprofit Universities (EDAHALAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faculty-Led & Custom Group Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAA), University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate degree programs
• Virtual education platform
• Catholic university research

Headquarters

HQ city

La Paz

HQ country

Bolivia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Academic Fees: Revenue generated from undergraduate and graduate program tuition, registration fees, and academic service charges. Students pay tuition based on their chosen program and course load.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo is a private Catholic university offering undergraduate (Grado) and postgraduate (Post Grado) academic degree programs across six regional campuses and rural academic units in Bolivia. The university delivers in-person education, online learning through its UCBx virtual education platform, academic management via the SIIAN system, and supports research through 8 institutes, 16 research centers, and 30 student scientific societies, complemented by international exchange and pastoral programs.

Product overview

UCB (Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo) is a Catholic private university with a multi-campus structure across Bolivia, offering a unified platform of educational services including undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs (Grado and Post Grado), virtual education through UCBx, academic management via SIAAN, and institutional productivity through UCB Workspace (Google Workspace). The university integrates research units (8 institutes, 16 centers, 30 student scientific societies), international mobility programs, pastoral services, and specialized academic units across 7 academic campuses plus rural academic units. The institution also organizes major academic events including international congresses on climate resilience and national research conferences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs (Grado)

Quantifiable outcome

• 30 Student Scientific Societies active across campuses
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• International Partner UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe university maintains extensive international exchange agreements with universities worldwide. These partnerships enable student and faculty mobility, double degree programs, and collaborative research initiatives. The university participates in international networks including FIUC (International Federation of Catholic Universities) and other global academic consortia.
• International Federation of Catholic Universities (FIUC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive participation in FIUC international working groups on environmental issues related to Laudato Si and integral ecology. The university contributes to global Catholic university networks addressing climate change and sustainability.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Universidad Privada Boliviana (UPB): Bolivia's leading private comprehensive university headquartered in Cochabamba with a multi-campus model. Directly comparable to UCB in scale, private nonprofit structure, tuition-based model, and emphasis on research and international partnerships.
• Universidad Privada de Santa Cruz de la Sierra (UPSA): Private Bolivian university in Santa Cruz offering undergraduate, graduate, and executive programs with strong industry linkages. Competes with UCB for the same Bolivian private-tuition-paying student segment and targets similar international accreditation standards.
• Universidad Franz Tamayo (UNIFRANZ): Fast-growing private Bolivian university with multiple campuses across Bolivia and an emphasis on digital learning and English-language programs. Closest growth-stage and digital-delivery peer to UCB within Bolivia.

Broad incumbents

• Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA): Bolivia's largest public university headquartered in La Paz. Anchors the free public-university segment that bounds UCB's pricing power and competes for the same La Paz student catchment where UCB's national rectorate is located.
• Universidad Mayor de San Simón (UMSS): Major public university in Cochabamba with comprehensive undergraduate and graduate programs. Competes directly with UCB's Cochabamba campus (Campus Tupuraya) for students and faculty in Bolivia's third-largest city.

Regional players

• Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP): Peru's leading Catholic private research university with comprehensive programs, multiple campuses, and strong international accreditation profile. Closest regional Catholic peer to UCB in mission, structure, and FIUC participation, but operating in a larger economy.
• Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile: Chile's premier Catholic research university, comprehensive across disciplines with strong research output and global rankings. Comparable to UCB in Catholic mission and accreditation ambitions but at materially larger scale and in a higher-income market.
• Universidad Católica Argentina (UCA): Argentina's principal private Catholic university with comprehensive undergraduate and graduate programs and a strong research orientation. Comparable to UCB in Catholic mission and FIUC membership but operating in a larger Argentine market.
• Universidad Iberoamericana: Jesuit private university in Mexico City with comprehensive programs, research centers, and international partnerships. Comparable to UCB in faith-based private higher education positioning and Latin American Catholic network participation.
• Universidad de los Andes (Colombia): Top-tier Colombian private research university with strong graduate programs and international partnerships. Comparable to UCB in private-comprehensive model, research emphasis, and pursuit of international accreditation, though at substantially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCCsTcWeaifOi2tqN-m9ksxA
• Facebookfacebook.com/ucbnacional
• Instagraminstagram.com/ucbnacional
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/universidad-catolica-boliviana-san-pablo-regional-la-paz

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Bolivian Catholic University