Areandina en tu ciudad

What Areandina en tu ciudad does

Areandina en tu ciudad is the virtual higher-education modality of Fundación Universitaria del Área Andina, a Colombian private (non-profit) institution headquartered in Bogotá, operating since 2005 with approximately 220 staff including 200 faculty. It delivers 60+ fully online academic programs — undergraduate (Pregrados), postgraduate specializations (Especializaciones), and master's degrees (Maestrías) — across disciplines such as business administration, finance, industrial engineering, software engineering, law, health sciences, and education. Programs are delivered through a Canvas-based LMS combined with proprietary Areandina platform developments in a hybrid synchronous/asynchronous model, and the institution is the first in Latin America to receive QS Stars 5-Star certification for virtual education while holding Colombian Ministry of Education Alta Calidad Multicampus accreditation (renewed 2025).

The business model is subscription/semester-based tuition, with per-semester prices ranging from approximately COP $1.44M (technology tracks) to COP $9.31M (Master's in Epidemiology). Revenue is generated entirely from student tuition, supported by an embedded financing ecosystem (Finky, ICETEX, Coopfuturo, Fincomercio, Banco de Bogotá) and institutional discount partnerships (Coomeva 20%, FF.MM 15%, Colsubsidio 10%, Nueva EPS 8%, SENA 20%, Ministry of Education teachers). Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via WhatsApp, website forms, and a 40+ Centro de Servicio Universitario (CSU) physical service network operated in part by XP Colombia SAS, with academic advisors contacting prospects within 24 hours of inquiry. Customer segments are primarily working professionals and adult learners, plus SENA graduates via free homologation, and corporate/government affiliation members via institutional discount programs.

No revenue, headcount trend, funding round, or M&A activity is disclosed. The institution differentiates on regulatory credentials (QS Stars 5-Star, Alta Calidad Multicampus, SNIES-registered programs), its hybrid physical-virtual distribution model (40+ CSUs across Colombia), and sector-specific partnerships (FEDEGAN for livestock, international partners for epidemiology and innovation curricula). AI capability is limited to marketing references rather than substantive product features.

Name

Areandina en tu ciudad

Legal name

XP COLOMBIA S.A.S.

Website

https://areandinaentuciudad.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Areandina en tu ciudad is the virtual higher-education modality of Fundación Universitaria del Área Andina in Colombia, delivering 60+ accredited online undergraduate, specialization, and master's programs to working professionals and adult learners across 40+ CSU service centers nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Divisions of Traditional Universities (Hybrid/Extension) (EDAHALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Online Professional Schools (MBA/MPA/MPH/Etc.) (EDAHALAE), Online Community Colleges (2-Year, Degree/Transfer) (EDAHALAC)

Keywords

• Virtual higher education
• Online degree programs
• Undergraduate programs
• Master's degrees
• Continuing education

Headquarters

HQ city

Villavicencio

HQ country

Colombia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition - Pregrado Programs: Semester-based tuition fees for undergraduate virtual programs including professional degrees (8-10 semesters), technical and technological programs (4-6 semesters). Tuition varies by program from COP $1.44M to $2.74M per semester.
2. Tuition - Especializaciones (Graduate Certificates): Two-semester graduate certificate programs charged per semester. Programs include Alta Gerencia, Gerencia Financiera, Auditoría en Salud, Revisoría Fiscal, and others.
3. Tuition - Maestrías (Master's Degrees): Three-semester master's programs with higher tuition rates. Programs include Maestría en Innovación at COP $7.55M and Maestría en Epidemiología at COP $9.31M per semester.
4. SENA Homologation Services: Free homologation service for SENA graduates seeking to continue to higher education. Zero-cost credit recognition process.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Areandina en tu ciudad delivers fully online higher education programs in Colombia, including undergraduate degrees (Pregrados Virtuales), postgraduate specializations (Especializaciones Virtuales), and master's degrees (Maestrías Virtuales), spanning disciplines such as business administration, finance, software engineering, epidemiology, innovation, and human resource management. The institution supplements its virtual curriculum with 40+ physical Centro de Servicio Universitario (CSU) centers that provide enrollment, advising, and student support services nationwide.

Product overview

Areandina en tu ciudad is a virtual higher education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of online academic programs. The core offering consists of undergraduate degrees (Pregrados Virtuales), postgraduate specializations (Especializaciones Virtuales), and master's programs (Maestrías Virtuales). These programs span disciplines including business administration, finance, engineering, health sciences, law, and education, delivered through the proprietary Canvas-based learning platform. The institution operates 40+ physical service centers (Centros de Servicio Universitario) across Colombia to support virtual learners. Specialized offerings include SENA credit transfer programs (Homologación SENA) with tuition discounts, and sector-specific programs developed in partnership with organizations like FEDEGAN for agricultural training. Programs carry Colombian Ministry of Education registration (SNIES codes) and institutional QS Stars high-quality accreditation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CSU (Centro de Servicio Universitario): Physical service centers nationwide providing enrollment, financial aid information, and student support for virtual education students
• XP Colombia SAS

Products and services

• Pregrados Virtuales (Virtual Undergraduate Programs)

Quantifiable outcome

• First and only virtual Master's in Epidemiology in Colombia
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CoomevacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership offering 20% discount on tuition for Coomeva associates and family members (parents, siblings, children, spouse, or permanent companion).
• ColsubsidiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership offering 10% discount for active Colsubsidio affiliates and family (spouse and children), employees, or graduates from Colsubsidio schools.
• Nueva EPScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner8% discount for persons linked to the company through employment relationship. Also applies to family members up to first degree of consanguinity.
• FF.MM (Fuerzas Militares de Colombia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner15% discount for active members of Colombian Military Forces: Police, Army, Navy, and Air Force. Also applies to family members up to second degree of consanguinity.
• SENAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree credit homologation service for SENA graduates. 20% discount on tuition for graduates. Also for SENA employees, contractors, and first-degree family members.
• Ministerio de Educación NacionalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecial tuition discount program for teachers and school administrators from official educational establishments.
• XP Colombia SAScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerXP Colombia SAS operates 5 CSU (Centro de Servicio Universitario) centers on behalf of Areandina in representation. Headquarters at CL 163 A # 20-15, Bogotá.
• Instituto Biodonostia (Spain)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Instituto Biodonostia in San Sebastián, Spain for the Master's in Epidemiology program, providing international academic collaboration and expertise.
• Universidad Continental del PerúminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational certification partner for Master's in Epidemiology. Students can take an elective course at Universidad Continental for international certification.
• FEDEGAN (Federación Nacional de Ganaderos)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development of livestock sustainable production program. 91 school farms (fincas escuela) available across Colombia for student practical training. Program developed with FEDEGAN support and recognition.
• Global Innovation IndexminorOthersReference framework used in Master's in Innovation program for evaluating innovation and competitiveness of countries. Colombia ranked 60th in 2018.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fundación Universitaria Los Libertadores: Colombian private foundation university with virtual undergraduate and graduate programs in business, education, and engineering, serving working-adult learners in Bogotá and nationally — directly overlapping Areandina's primary persona segment and discount partnership strategy.
• Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia (UNAD): Colombia's largest public virtual university offering undergraduate and graduate programs nationwide through distance learning. Most directly comparable to Areandina in modality (virtual), market (Colombia-wide), and student profile (working adults), with a significantly larger enrollment base and broader catalog.
• Politécnico Grancolombiano: Bogotá-based private university with substantial virtual program offerings across business, engineering, and health disciplines, targeting similar working-professional segments with flexible online delivery and corporate partnership discount structures overlapping Areandina's model.
• Fundación Universitaria Unipanamericana: Colombian private foundation university with virtual program offerings primarily in business, law, and engineering, serving similar working-professional segments and competing for SENA-credit-homologation pipeline students in Bogotá and central Colombia.
• Fundación Universitaria Compensar: Bogotá-based foundation university tied to Compensar benefits network, offering virtual undergraduate and specialization programs with employer-channel enrollment dynamics structurally analogous to Areandina's Coomeva/Colsubsidio partnership model.
• Universidad ECCI: Colombian private university in Bogotá with growing virtual program catalog in engineering, business, and health sciences, competing head-to-head with Areandina on SENA-pipeline and working-professional enrollment in the same metropolitan catchment.

Emerging players

• Universidad EAFIT: Medellín-based private university extending into virtual business and innovation graduate programs. Although smaller than Areandina in virtual scale, EAFIT's brand strength in innovation and business makes it a credible adjacent competitor in the Master's segment where Areandina's Innovation program competes for similar students.

Broad incumbents

• Universidad Nacional de Colombia: Colombia's flagship public university with selective in-person programs and growing virtual/extension offerings. Represents the quality upper bound and provides a ceiling on Areandina's ability to capture premium-pricing graduate cohorts.
• Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano: Well-established Bogotá-based traditional university that has expanded into virtual and hybrid modalities for selected programs. As a broader incumbent with stronger brand recognition, it represents the top-end competition Areandina must position against for graduate-level enrollments.

Regional players

• Universidad Continental (Perú): Peruvian university already partnered with Areandina for international certification in the Master's in Epidemiology program. Operates a similar virtual-modality model in the Andean region and represents a same-model cross-border operator and potential international-content partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AreandinaEnTuCiudad
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/areandina-en-tu-ciudad
• Instagraminstagram.com/areandinaentuciudad

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Areandina en tu ciudad