Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia

What Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia does

Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia (UCC) is a private cooperative higher education institution founded in 1960 and headquartered in Colombia. It operates 15 physical campuses across 17 Colombian cities (Apartadó, Arauca, Barrancabermeja, Bogotá-Funza, Bucaramanga, Cali, Ibagué-Espinal, Medellín-Envigado, Montería, Neiva, Pasto, Pereira-Cartago, Popayán, Santa Marta, Villavicencio), serving 36,636 active students through 127 undergraduate programs, 152 graduate programs, and 51 technical/vocational programs under a competency-based educational model (Modelo Educativo con Enfoque de Competencias). The institution employs 3,896 faculty and has produced 215,640 alumni. UCC's core technology infrastructure consists of the Campus Virtual powered by Desire2Learn (D2L) Brightspace, the SÍNFONI institutional research portal, Onda Digital U (a podcast/virtual radio platform active since 2009), and Open Lingua for language instruction.

UCC's business model is direct-to-consumer, monetized primarily through semester tuition and enrollment fees across pregrado, posgrado, técnico laboral, and continuing education tracks, with financial assistance routed through the Comuna external financing partner and discount programs such as Beca Futuro UCC Cali (20%). Distribution occurs through on-campus enrollment centers and a virtual/hybrid channel. Service extensions include legal clinics (Consultorios Jurídicos, with Consultorio Púrpura certification for gender-diverse populations in Cali and Montería), dental clinics, the HOVET veterinary hospital in Ibagué (High Quality accredited), research and practice laboratories, and a NAF tax-support service. The university also operates supporting units Indesco (cooperativism research), CEPEG (global policy research), Ediciones UCC (publishing house, with two books in Web of Science Book Citation Index and three journals in Publindex 2026), and Impact Campus business incubation. 2026 has been an active expansion period, with at least 14 new program launches, two new international framework agreements (KHPT in India, ESPOL in Ecuador), and High Quality Accreditation for MVZ Ibagué from the Ministerio de Educación Nacional.

Name

Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia

Legal name

Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia

Website

https://ucc.edu.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia (UCC) is a private cooperative university founded in 1960, operating 15 campuses across 17 Colombian cities to deliver 330+ undergraduate, graduate, and technical programs to 36,636 students via direct-to-consumer tuition, complemented by research, clinical services, and international partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Private/Independent Community & Junior Colleges (EDAHADAB), Technical Community Colleges (Applied/CTE-Focused) (EDAHADAD)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate degree programs
• Vocational technical training
• Online learning programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Bogotá

HQ country

Colombia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices15 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 Enrollment Fees: Revenue from tuition payments across undergraduate programs (Pregrados), graduate programs (Posgrados), technical programs (Técnicos laborales), and continuing education. Students pay per-semester tuition and enrollment fees. Financial assistance is available through Comuna.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

UCC is a private multi-campus university delivering undergraduate (127 pregrado), graduate (152 posgrado), and technical/vocational (51 técnicos laborales) programs to 36,636 active students across 15 campuses in 17 Colombian cities. It operates a competency-based pedagogical model (Modelo Educativo con Enfoque de Competencias) blending in-person instruction with the D2L/Brightspace Campus Virtual, and extends services through legal clinics, dental clinics, a veterinary hospital, research institutes (Indesco, CEPEG), and the Onda Digital U media platform.

Product overview

Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia operates as a comprehensive higher education institution offering a multi-level portfolio of educational products and services. The core offerings include 127 undergraduate programs (pregrados), 152 graduate programs (posgrados), and 51 technical career programs (técnicos laborales), delivered through in-person, virtual, and hybrid modalities across 15 campuses in 17 Colombian cities. The institution's technology infrastructure includes the SÍNFONI research portal for managing research activities, the D2L/Brightspace-powered Campus Virtual for online learning, and Onda Digital for audio content distribution. Service extensions include legal clinics, dental clinics, veterinary hospitals, and extensive research and practice laboratories. The university serves 36,636 students with 3,896 professors and maintains an alumni network of 215,640 graduates. Recent product launches have focused on expanding technology programs (Software Engineering, Civil Engineering), healthcare specializations (Endodontics, Medical Law), and pedagogical innovations (Mathematics teaching with hybrid delivery), reflecting alignment with digital transformation and sector-specific workforce needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Indesco: Institute dedicated to Cooperativism and Development research, publishing the journal Cooperativismo y Desarrollo
• SÍNFONI
• CEPEG
• Ediciones UCC
• Onda Digital U
• Open Lingua

Products and services

• Pregrados (Undergraduate Programs)
• Posgrados (Graduate Programs)
• T\u00e9cnicos Laborales (Technical/Vocational Programs)
• Formaci\u00f3n Virtual (Virtual Education Programs)
• Formaci\u00f3n Continua (Continuing Education: Diplomados, Cursos, Microcredenciales, Macrocredenciales)
• Open Lingua Language Programs
• Hospital Veterinario HOVET UCC (Veterinary Hospital)
• Cl\u00ednicas Odontol\u00f3gicas (Dental Clinics)
• Consultorios Jur\u00eddicos (Legal Clinics)
• Programa de Movilidad Internacional (International Mobility Program)
• Ediciones UCC (University Publishing House)

Quantifiable outcome

• 36,636 enrolled students, 215,640 alumni, 127 pregrados, 152 posgrados, 51 technical programs across 15 campuses in 17 cities
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 July 2026UCC and ESPOL (one of Ecuador's most recognized higher education institutions) signed a Framework Agreement (Convenio Marco) to strengthen academic cooperation between Colombia and Ecuador, including faculty and student exchanges and joint research.
• KHPT (Karnataka Health Promotion Trust)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 July 2026Follow-up on the framework agreement, consolidating new cooperation opportunities at the closure of the Indian delegation visit, focusing on joint health research projects between Colombia and India.
• Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2026UCC and KHPT signed a historic Framework Agreement (Acuerdo Marco) to transform global community health through international research cooperation. The partnership includes joint research initiatives in global health, with a delegation visit to UCC Medellín campus (June 30 – July 6, 2026). Areas of focus include health research with social impact.
• University of Texas Medical BranchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCC researcher advances international scientific cooperation in arbovirus research, with progress toward formalizing a cooperation agreement for joint research activities in epidemiology and health sciences.
• IDEAR (Institución de Educación para Adultos)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUCC Campus Arauca and IDEAR signed an agreement (convenio) to expand access to higher education in Arauca, providing educational pathways and financial support for local students.
• Ministerio de Educación Nacional de ColombiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint Ferias de Enrutamiento Ruta PRO in Manizales, bringing educational opportunities and orientation to youth in the Eje Cafetero region, as part of a national strategy to expand access to higher education.
• ICETEXminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorICETEX enabled UCC Medicine professors (Villavicencio campus) to participate in the XXVI Spanish and X Iberoamerican Congress of Toxicology in Spain, funding international academic mobility.
• Escuela de Inteligencia y ContrainteligenciaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCC and the School of Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence strengthened their alliance to promote digital teaching competencies, advancing a research project on pedagogical transformation and critical integration of digital technologies in formative processes.
• ACOFADE (Asociación Colombiana de Facultades de Derecho)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCC was host and supporter of the XIX Nacional ACOFADE Deans Meeting 2026 and the V International Socio-Juridical Research Congress, positioning UCC as a key actor in legal education and justice transformation.
• Universidad Continental (Perú)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCC Law student represented the university in the international program Global Teams of Universidad Continental de Perú, advancing international academic exchange.
• Universidad Complutense de Madrid (España)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree UCC Neiva students (agency 'Oniria') who won the national Rymel Serrano Prize will represent Colombia in an academic immersion program at Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
• Universidad de Cuenca (Ecuador)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCC Faculty of Law participated in international academic mobility at Universidad de Cuenca, Ecuador, with professor Ana María Solarte Cuncanchon visiting from May 21-29, 2026.
• Universidad Privada del Norte (Perú)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCC Villavicencio Law faculty professors (Rosa María Caycedo Guio, Yudy Andrea Carrillo Cruz, Oscar Yesid Céspedes Gutiérrez) participated in the XXII International Legal Week at Universidad Privada del Norte in Trujillo, Peru.
• Universidad de Quito / CEPEG Simposio LATAM 2026minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirector of UCC's CEPEG (Edgar Vieira Posada) led the LATAM 2026 Symposium on challenges of regionalism vs. Trump II administration in Quito, Ecuador, with specialists from Latin America and Europe.
• Instituto Colombiano de Derecho Procesal (ICDP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICDP and UCC Faculty of Law co-hosted a virtual forum on Gender, Equality and Justice, engaging the academic community, lawyers, magistrates, and judges.
• Sociedad Interamericana de Psicología (SIP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCC hosted the X Regional Congress of SIP in Santa Marta, bringing together researchers and experts from 24 countries to discuss humanity's greatest challenges from science, mental health, and peace perspectives. UCC converted Santa Marta into the world epicenter of psychology.
• RedCOLSI (Red de Semilleros de Investigación)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCC Pasto participated in XXIII Encuentro Departamental de Semilleros RedCOLSI Nodo Nariño and III Binational Encounter with Ecuador, promoting formative research across Colombia-Ecuador border.
• Colegio Colombiano de PsicólogosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCC and the Colegio Colombiano de Psicólogos will jointly offer a hybrid diploma 'Desarrollo Socioemocional para la Inclusión en Aulas Diversas' starting September 2026, addressing neurodiversity and school inclusion.
• Gobernación de Antioquia / Corporación Gilberto Echeverri MejíaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCC joined a scholarship initiative benefiting 10,000 youth in Antioquia, as part of a program led by the Governor's office and operated by Corporación Gilberto Echeverri Mejía.
• Cooperativa Coocentral (Huila)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUCC Neiva and Coocentral cooperated to train 25 extension technicians in high-quality coffee varietals, bridging academia and the agricultural sector.
• Secretaría de Inclusión SocialminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCC and Secretaría de Inclusión Social transformed 100 young leaders across five municipalities in Tolima through the 'Jóvenes IN: Inspiradores, Innovadores e Incluyentes' program.
• Ministerio de Justicia y del DerechocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ministry conducted an institutional inspection, surveillance, and control visit at UCC Villavicencio and granted Consultorio Púrpura certification to UCC legal clinics in Montería and Cali.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Universidad Libre de Colombia: Private Colombian university with multiple campuses across the country offering undergraduate, graduate, and distance-education programs. Comparable to UCC as a multi-campus private Colombian university with virtual education and similar student-segment targeting.
• Universidad EAFIT: Private Colombian university based in Medellín offering undergraduate, graduate, and executive-education programs with strong emphasis on applied research and industry partnerships. Comparable to UCC in program breadth and Medellín presence, though EAFIT is more concentrated geographically.
• Universidad EAN: Private Colombian university with virtual and presencial programs, particularly strong in business, engineering, and technology fields. Comparable to UCC as a private institution with significant virtual education offerings and similar student-segment overlap, including the recent new technologies and Software Engineering launches at UCC.
• Universidad Sergio Arboleda: Large private Colombian university with multi-campus presence in Bogotá, Santa Marta, and other cities. Closely comparable to UCC as a private, multi-campus, degree-granting institution targeting similar undergraduate and graduate student segments.
• Universidad Externado de Colombia: Private Colombian university strong in law, economics, and social sciences with a Bogotá campus and national reach via virtual programs. Comparable to UCC for graduate-program positioning and virtual education, particularly in legal education where both have accredited offerings.
• Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga (UNAB): Private regional Colombian university offering undergraduate, graduate, and continuing-education programs. Comparable to UCC as a private, mid-size Colombian university competing for similar student segments, though UNAB has a more regional rather than national footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Universidad de los Andes: Colombia's most prestigious private university, headquartered in Bogotá. Comparable as a private degree-granting institution offering undergraduate, graduate, and continuing-education programs, but concentrated in a single premium campus and competing with UCC on graduate-program prestige rather than geographic reach.
• Universidad Nacional de Colombia: Colombia's largest public research university with national multi-campus presence and comprehensive undergraduate/graduate programs. Comparable to UCC as a multi-campus degree-granting institution, though public-sector pricing and research mandate differ from UCC's cooperative-private model.
• Pontificia Universidad Javeriana: Major private Catholic university in Colombia offering comprehensive undergraduate, graduate, and research programs across multiple faculties. Comparable as a large private Colombian university, though Javeriana operates from Bogotá and Cali rather than UCC's 17-city distributed model.
• Universidad de Antioquia: Major public Colombian university with strong regional and national presence, particularly in health sciences, law, and engineering. Comparable to UCC for program breadth and degree-granting scope, though public-sector funding and governance differ from UCC's cooperative structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UCooperativaCol
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCvzI0VYrgtpmloGmaqVEUbg
• Facebookfacebook.com/UCooperativadeColombia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/universidad-cooperativa-de-colombia
• Instagraminstagram.com/ucc_oficial

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Cooperativa de Colombia