Universidad Gerardo Barrios

What Universidad Gerardo Barrios does

Universidad Gerardo Barrios (UGB) is a private higher education institution founded in 1981 and headquartered in San Miguel, El Salvador, with a second regional campus in Usulután. The university offers 52-plus undergraduate and graduate programs across faculties including Engineering and Architecture, Science and Technology, Law and International Relations, and Humanities, delivered through three modalities: in-person (presenciales), semi-presential (semipresenciales), and fully virtual (virtuales). Operations are supported by a Canvas-based learning management system for course delivery, a Koha-powered institutional library (Biblioteca Central SM and Biblioteca USU), an Office 365 institutional email stack, and a student portal (Portal del Estudiante) handling enrollment, grading, and payments.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring tuition and registration fees across all modalities, supplemented by specialized laboratory fees. Student acquisition runs as a direct-to-consumer motion via the admissions portal, campus visits, and academic advising, reinforced by a broad social media presence (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, X) and WhatsApp-based inquiry handling. The customer base consists of individual B2C buyers: traditional undergraduates from eastern El Salvador, remote learners, and a smaller cohort of international exchange students participating in mobility programs with partner universities in the United States, Chile, Costa Rica, and Spain.

UGB maintains an active institutional ecosystem of academic and technology partnerships, including Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Universidad de Chile, Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Microsoft, AWS Academy, Cisco, and EBSCOhost. Recent operational activity in mid-2026 — including a cooperation visit to Universidad de Chile, embassy-acknowledged mobility support, staff vacancies, and SUSI student leader selection — indicates continued operational activity and partnership expansion. No revenue figures, funding rounds, or enrollment counts are disclosed in available source data.

Name

Universidad Gerardo Barrios

Legal name

Universidad Gerardo Barrios

Website

https://ugb.edu.sv

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Universidad Gerardo Barrios is a private El Salvador university offering 52-plus undergraduate and graduate programs across virtual, hybrid, and in-person modalities at campuses in San Miguel and Usulután.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAIAJAA

University-Affiliated Pathway & Foundation Programs

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/Overseas Pathway, Foundation & Bridging Programs

SECONDARYEDAIAAAE

Hybrid, Multi-Location & Multi-Country Study Abroad Programs

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/Study Abroad Program Providers (Multi-Country & Multi-Discipline)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Undergraduate degrees
• Virtual academic programs
• Continuing education
• International mobility

Headquarters

HQ city

San Miguel

HQ country

El Salvador

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 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 Registration Fees: Revenue generated from student tuition payments for undergraduate and graduate programs across all modalities (in-person, semi-presential, virtual)
2. Specialized Laboratory Fees: Additional fees for programs utilizing specialized laboratory facilities

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Universidad Gerardo Barrios is a private multi-campus higher education institution in eastern El Salvador offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs across faculties including Engineering and Architecture, Science and Technology, Law and International Relations, and Humanities. The university delivers education through three modalities: in-person (presenciales), semi-presential (semipresenciales), and fully virtual (virtuales) programs. Supporting services include specialized laboratories, a Canvas-based LMS, digital library, institutional repository, scholarships, international exchange programs, and continuing education through Formación Continua Plus.

Product overview

Universidad Gerardo Barrios operates as a multi-campus higher education institution in El Salvador offering a portfolio of academic programs across three delivery modalities: virtual (Carreras Virtuales), hybrid/semipresencial, and traditional in-person (Carreras Presenciales). The university provides technology-enabled educational services including a Canvas-based Learning Management System (LMS) for course delivery, a student portal (Portal del Estudiante) for academic records and enrollment, a human resources portal, a Koha-powered digital library with database access, and an institutional repository (Repositorio Institucional). Additional platforms include a payment management system and continuing education offerings via Formación Continua Plus. The institution maintains physical campuses in San Miguel (Central) and Usulután.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Carreras Virtuales (Virtual Degree Programs) Fully online degree programs across multiple academic disciplines, designed for students requiring flexible remote learning access without attending physical campus classes.
• Carreras Semipresenciales (Hybrid Degree Programs) Blended-learning degree programs combining in-person and online instruction, designed to accommodate students who need schedule flexibility while maintaining some on-campus engagement.
• Carreras Presenciales (On-Campus Degree Programs) Traditional on-campus degree programs delivered at UGB's San Miguel and Usulután campuses across multiple faculties including Law, Engineering, Medicine, Architecture, Science and Humanities.
• Formación Continua Plus Continuing education and professional development e-learning platform offering short courses and certification programs for working professionals and the broader community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students gain international academic experience through exchange programs with partner institutions

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Southern Illinois University EdwardsvillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic cooperation partnership for international mobility and exchange programs. UGB delegates visit the university to strengthen cooperation ties.
• Universidad de ChilecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partnership for academic strengthening. Director of Innovation and Academic Management visits to build collaboration links.
• Konrad Adenauer FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation partnership supporting student participation in international competitions and human rights programs in Costa Rica.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology integration through Microsoft Office 365 for institutional email and productivity tools.
• EBSCOhostcoreTechnology or IntegrationDatabase access partnership providing academic search complete, business source complete, and other research databases.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• UNITEC Honduras (Universidad Tecnol\u00f3gica Centroamericana): Large private Honduran university with multi-modal online and on-campus programs across Central America. Comparable as a regional private university pursuing similar modality diversification and online growth strategy.
• Universidad Panamericana (Guatemala): Private Guatemalan university with programs in law, engineering, architecture, and humanities. Comparable as a Central American private multi-faculty university, though operating primarily in Guatemala rather than El Salvador.

Direct peers

• Universidad Don Bosco (UDB): Private Salvadoran university operated by the Salesian order, providing undergraduate and graduate programs in engineering, social sciences, and health. Comparable private higher-education peer with similar faculty breadth and student support services.
• Universidad Francisco Gavidia (UFG): Private Salvadoran university offering programs in law, economics, engineering, and humanities with broad modality options. Comparable as a multi-faculty private competitor serving similar student segments.
• ITCA-FEPADE: Salvadoran technical higher-education institution focused on engineering, architecture, and technology programs. Comparable in curriculum overlap (Engineering & Architecture faculty) and in serving technical-track students in El Salvador.
• Universidad Dr. Jos\u00e9 Mat\u00edas Delgado: El Salvador private university offering a broad portfolio of degree programs with multiple learning modalities. Comparable in scale, modality mix, and private-university positioning to UGB.
• Universidad Tecnol\u00f3gica de El Salvador (UTEC): Private Salvadoran university focused on technology and engineering programs with multiple modalities. Comparable in technology-leaning curriculum and private-university structure, though with a stronger national brand.
• Universidad Centroamericana Jos\u00e9 Sime\u00e3n Ca\u00f1as (UCA): Private Jesuit university in El Salvador offering undergraduate and graduate programs across multiple faculties. Directly comparable as a private, multi-faculty higher-education competitor in the same national market.

Broad incumbents

• Universidad Galileo (Guatemala): Large private university in Guatemala with strong online learning infrastructure and broad faculty coverage. Comparable as a Central American private university that has scaled virtual/distance learning more aggressively than UGB.
• Universidad de El Salvador (UES): Public national university of El Salvador, the largest higher-education provider in the country. Comparable as a multi-faculty degree-granting institution competing for the same student pool, though with free tuition and far larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ugb_sv
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/VideosUGB
• Facebookfacebook.com/ugboficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ugb-sv
• Instagraminstagram.com/ugb.sv
• TikToktiktok.com/@ugb.sv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Gerardo Barrios