Universidad de Costa Rica

What Universidad de Costa Rica does

Universidad Empresarial de Costa Rica (UNEM), also marketed as the Business University of Costa Rica, is a private, non-profit, non-sectarian higher education institution founded in 1992 in San José, Costa Rica. UNEM originated as the International Post-Graduate School affiliated with the University of San Jose, became independent in 1997, and operates its national program through the registered Fundación Empresarial de Costa Rica. It offers a narrow portfolio concentrated in business disciplines: two undergraduate degrees (Bachelor of Business Administration with 120 semester credits including a thesis, and Bachelor of Accounting), two MBA tracks, and two DBA tracks, delivered in Spanish for Costa Rica and Latin America and in English through a dedicated Office of International Affairs. The institution holds a CONESUP charter from the Costa Rican Ministry of Education (granted November 5, 1997, Session 336-97) and is listed in the UNESCO International Handbook of Universities and UNESCO World List of Universities.

The underlying platform is a learning management system providing course management, event management, and student portal capabilities, with online application and enrollment workflows routed through unem.international and unem.edu. The go-to-market is sales-led: program discovery runs through the institutional website, blog content, faculty-authored research, event marketing, and direct email inquiries; international recruitment is handled by the Office of International Affairs with a European contact channel routed to a +48 Poland phone number and unem.edu.pl email. Revenue is generated primarily through recurring tuition and academic fees across the BBA, BAcc, MBA, and DBA programs, supplemented by professional development offerings such as the Advanced Networking Workshop.

Customer segments are distributed across undergraduate students, working-professional graduate students, English-speaking international students, and adult continuing-education learners. The institution does not disclose revenue, headcount, tuition pricing, or a management team in the available data; operational scale appears modest, indicated by a P.O. Box headquarters address, three named professors, and only two published student testimonials. Competitive positioning rests on Costa Rican regulatory accreditation, UNESCO listings, membership in the American University Consortium, and a self-paced/thesis-based academic ladder spanning undergraduate to doctoral level.

Name

Universidad de Costa Rica

Legal name

Universidad Empresarial de Costa Rica

Website

https://unem.international

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Universidad Empresarial de Costa Rica (UNEM) is a private, non-profit Costa Rican higher education institution offering undergraduate (BBA, BAcc) and graduate (MBA, DBA) business programs in Spanish and English to Costa Rican, Latin American, and international students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Fully Online Universities (Online-First, Degree-Granting) (EDAHALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA), Project, Quality & Operations (PMP PDUs, Six Sigma, Quality CE) (EDAAALAM)

Keywords

• Undergraduate business degrees
• Graduate business programs
• Doctoral business administration
• Bilingual university education
• Private higher education

Headquarters

HQ city

San José

HQ country

Costa Rica

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

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 including Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Accounting, MBA programs, and DBA programs. Bachelor of Business Administration requires minimum 120 semester credits including thesis/project.
2. Professional Development Programs: Continuous training programs and workshops such as the 'Advanced Networking Workshop' offered to students and professionals

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Universidad Empresarial de Costa Rica (UNEM) operates as a private, non-profit higher education institution delivering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business, accounting, and management disciplines. The institution offers Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Accounting, two MBA program tracks, and two DBA program tracks delivered in Spanish (for Costa Rica and Latin America) and English (through the Office of International Affairs) language tracks, supported by a learning management system with course management, event management, and student portal capabilities. Continuous training workshops (e.g., Training in Advanced Networking) supplement the degree catalog for working professionals.

Product overview

Universidad Empresarial de Costa Rica (UNEM) is a private, non-profit, non-sectarian higher education institution offering a portfolio of academic programs. The institution provides Spanish language programs in Costa Rica and Latin America, as well as English language university programs through the Office of International Affairs. The program portfolio includes undergraduate degrees (Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Accounting) and graduate programs (MBA Programs 1 and 2, DBA Programs 1 and 2) focused on business, management, and accounting disciplines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor of Business Administration Four-year-equivalent undergraduate degree program in business administration, structured around 120 semester credits and delivered via UNEM's self-paced learning management system. Targeted at Costa Rican and Latin American working adults who need an accredited undergraduate credential while continuing employment, with optional bilingual delivery through the Office of International Affairs for English-speaking students.
• Bachelor of Accounting Undergraduate degree program in accounting, structured around 120 semester credits and delivered via UNEM's self-paced learning management system. Aimed at prospective Costa Rican and international students seeking an accredited accounting credential.
• MBA Program 1 First MBA track offered by UNEM, covering managerial economics, business ethics, strategic management, finance, and organizational behavior. Designed for mid-career working professionals pursuing graduate business credentials via UNEM's self-paced learning management system.
• MBA Program 2 Second distinct MBA track offered by UNEM with a curriculum differentiated from MBA Program 1, delivered via UNEM's self-paced learning management system for graduate-level working professionals.
• DBA Program 1 First doctoral DBA track offered by UNEM, covering research methods and organizational behavior at the doctoral level. Targeted at senior professionals and academics seeking the highest credential offered by the institution.
• DBA Program 2 Second distinct doctoral DBA track offered by UNEM with a curriculum differentiated from DBA Program 1, delivered via UNEM's self-paced learning management system for doctoral-level candidates.
• Training in Advanced Networking Short-format continuous training workshop in advanced networking offered by UNEM to working professionals seeking practical skill upgrades without committing to a full degree program. Supports the institution's professional_services revenue stream.

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, historical and minor.

• Fundación Empresarial de Costa RicacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1995Operational foundation established in 1995 that operates UNEM's national program in accordance with Costa Rican Ministry of Education regulations.
• University of San JosehistoricalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1992Initial affiliation beginning in 1992 when UNEM began as International Post-Graduate School. This was a formative partnership that led to UNEM's establishment as an independent institution.
• American University ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional membership network providing collaborative opportunities with other universities. Member via thor-odin.net platform.
• UNESCOminorOthersListed with UNESCO International Handbook of Universities and UNESCO World List of Universities - international recognition of institutional status.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Universidad Fidélitas: Private Costa Rican university offering undergraduate and graduate business and engineering programs. Comparable to UNEM as a CONESUP-approved private institution competing for the same domestic student pool.
• Universidad Latina de Costa Rica: One of the largest private universities in Costa Rica offering undergraduate and graduate programs including business. Directly comparable to UNEM as a domestic private higher education competitor serving similar student segments.
• INCAE Business School: Leading Central American business school with two campuses in Costa Rica and Nicaragua offering MBA and executive education. Directly comparable to UNEM as a regional business-focused graduate education provider in the same geography.

Regional players

• APEC University (UNAPEC): Dominican Republic private university with undergraduate and graduate business programs. Comparable to UNEM as a Caribbean/Latin American private non-profit university offering business-focused degrees.
• EAFIT University: Colombian private university recognized for its business school and MBA programs. Comparable to UNEM as a Latin American institution with a strong focus on business education and graduate degree programs.
• Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE): Large private university in the Dominican Republic offering undergraduate and graduate programs including business administration. Comparable to UNEM as a non-profit Caribbean/Latin American private university with CONESUP-equivalent accreditation.
• Universidad del Valle de Guatemala: Private Guatemalan university with strong business and engineering programs. Comparable to UNEM as a Central American private non-profit university offering undergraduate and graduate business degrees.

Broad incumbents

• EGADE Business School (Tec de Monterrey): Premium business school within Tec de Monterrey system offering MBA and executive education across Latin America. Comparable to UNEM as a higher-tier business education competitor in the Latin American market.
• Tecnológico de Costa Rica (TEC): Public Costa Rican university with strong business and engineering programs. Comparable to UNEM as a degree-granting institution in the same geography, though broader in scope and subsidized.

Emerging players

• University of the People: Tuition-free, accredited online university serving students globally including Latin America. Comparable to UNEM as a degree-granting institution targeting cost-conscious and international adult learners, though operating with a fully online model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/universidadunem
• Facebookfacebook.com/Universidad-Empresarial-de-Costa-Rica-UNEM-154746231261741
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unem-universidad-empresarial-de-costa-rica-a62051137

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Universidad de Costa Rica