Universidad Comillas - ICADE

What Universidad Comillas - ICADE does

Universidad Pontificia Comillas is a private Catholic university founded in 1890 in Madrid, Spain, owned and operated by the Catholic Church under a pontifical charter. It operates across multiple faculties, including ICADE (business and law), ICAI (engineering), and the Facultad de Ciencias Humanas y Sociales (CIHS), which is the focus of this profile. CIHS delivers undergraduate degrees, double degrees, master's programs, doctoral programs, and proprietary postgraduate courses in psychology, education, philosophy, international relations, translation and interpretation, communication, criminology, and social work. Its core educational technology infrastructure includes a modern Cantoblanco campus with advanced library facilities, multimedia classrooms, a video conferencing room, interpretation practice stations, a language laboratory, and a recording studio, complemented by the UNINPSI clinical psychology unit, which provides psychotherapy services, professional training, and research.

The faculty's go-to-market motion is event-driven, anchored in open days, campus visits, admission processes, degree comparator tools, and personalized admission counseling, with international student recruitment through exchange programs and summer schools. Marketing is conducted through organic social channels (LinkedIn, Twitter/X, TikTok, Instagram) and content marketing via the website. Revenue is generated primarily through tuition and academic fees across undergraduate, double-degree, master's, doctoral, and postgraduate programs, with scholarships and financial aid available based on individual needs. The international Red de Convenios exchange network and the EUPeace European University Alliance enable student mobility and joint programming. The institution recently introduced IB teaching certification within its Master's in Secondary Education Teacher Training from academic year 2025-26, expanding its credentialing footprint into globally recognized teacher preparation.

Name

Universidad Comillas - ICADE

Legal name

Universidad Pontificia Comillas

Website

https://chs.upcomillas.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

1890

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Universidad Pontificia Comillas' Faculty of Human and Social Sciences (CIHS) is a private Catholic university faculty in Madrid offering undergraduate, double-degree, master's, and doctoral programs in psychology, education, philosophy, international relations, translation, criminology, and social work to prospective students.

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

Selective/Highly Selective Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dual/Joint Degree Programs (International) (EDAIABAD), Integrated Language + Academic Skills (EAP) Bridging Programs (EDAIAJAF)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Humanities degrees
• Social sciences
• Postgraduate programs
• International exchange

Headquarters

HQ city

Madrid

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Academic Fees: Revenue from tuition fees for undergraduate degrees, double degrees, master's programs, doctoral programs, and postgraduate programs. The university offers various scholarship and financial aid programs based on individual student needs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Universidad Pontificia Comillas' Facultad de Ciencias Humanas y Sociales (CIHS) delivers higher education programs in humanities and social sciences at its Cantoblanco campus in Madrid. It offers undergraduate degrees and double degrees (Criminology, Social Work, Education, Philosophy, Psychology, International Relations, Translation and Interpretation), master's programs, doctoral programs, and proprietary postgraduate courses. The faculty also operates the UNINPSI clinical psychology unit and provides international exchange opportunities through the Red de Convenios network.

Product overview

Universidad Pontificia Comillas offers a comprehensive academic portfolio across multiple faculties. The Faculty of Sciences Humanas y Sociales (CIHS) provides undergraduate degrees, double degrees, master's programs, doctoral programs, and proprietary postgraduate courses across disciplines including Psychology, Education, Philosophy, International Relations, Translation, Communication, Criminology, and Social Work. The academic offering is complemented by clinical services (UNINPSI), professional skills development programs, international exchange networks, and career guidance services. Multiple double-degree combinations are available pairing disciplines such as Psychology with Business Administration (ADE) or Criminology, and Philosophy with Politics and Economics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ICADE: Instituto Católico de Artes y Empresas - Faculty known for business (ADE), law, and economics programs.
• ICAI
• CIHS
• UNINPSI

Products and services

• Grados y Dobles Grados (Undergraduate and Combined Degrees) Undergraduate and combined degree programs covering Criminology, Social Work, Education, Philosophy, Psychology, International Relations, Translation and Interpretation, and Technologies of Language. Multiple double-degree combinations are offered to undergraduate students at the Cantoblanco campus.
• Másteres Universitarios (University Master's Programs) Postgraduate master's programs offered by the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, including the Master's in Secondary Education Teacher Training which provides International Baccalaureate (IB) teaching certification from course 2025-26.
• Doctorados y Postgrados Propios (Doctoral and Proprietary Postgraduate Programs) Doctoral programs and proprietary postgraduate courses offered by the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences for advanced specialization and research-oriented study.
• UNINPSI - Unidad Clínica de Psicología Clinical Psychology Unit providing psychotherapy and clinical psychology services, professional training, and research in Madrid. Described as one of the most important centers for psychotherapy and clinical psychology in Madrid, known for plurality in intervention, professional training, and facilities.
• Diploma en Habilidades Personales, Comunicativas y Profesionales Practical diploma complementing undergraduate degrees at CIHS, enhancing transversal competencies most demanded in the labor market.
• Facultad Eclesiástica de Filosofía Ecclesiastical Faculty of Philosophy integrated within CIHS, granting both ecclesiastical titles (baccalaureate, licentiate, doctorate) and civil titles in Philosophy.
• Servicio OPE - Orientación en Carreras Profesionales, Prácticas y Empleo Career guidance, internships, and employment transition support service for CIHS students and graduates.
• Publicaciones Académicas (Academic Journals) Academic journals produced by CIHS including Padres y Maestros (founded 1965), Metis: Journal of Strategic Autonomy and International Studies, and Miscelánea Comillas.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Universidad de Bohemia Occidental (UWB)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 April 2026Western Bohemia University in Pilsen, Czech Republic hosted a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) focused on virtual classroom, virtual excursions, and virtual reality in education from April 13-17, 2026.
• International Partner Universities (Red de Convenios)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of international university agreements allowing students to complete part of their studies abroad at renowned institutions, strengthening academic and comprehensive education.
• EUPeace NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean University Alliance for Peace network enabling participation in blended intensive programs, student exchanges, and collaborative educational initiatives.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Universidad de Navarra: Spain's other leading private Catholic (Opus Dei-affiliated) university, offering a comparable mix of humanities, social sciences, and professional programs with similar selective admissions and international exchange footprint. Direct competitor for high-caliber Spanish and international students seeking values-driven higher education.
• Universidad Europea: Large Spanish private university network offering humanities, education, and social sciences programs with strong focus on professional outcomes and international students. Direct competitor for mid-tier private-university demand in Madrid.
• CEU Universities: Spanish Catholic private university network (Fundación CEU San Pablo y CEU Fernando III) offering humanities, social sciences, law, and education programs. Competes head-to-head with Comillas for Spanish undergraduates and has overlapping scholarship-based financial aid structures.
• IE University: Leading private university in Spain with significant international student base, modern campus infrastructure, and selective admissions. Competes with Comillas for premium-paying Spanish and international undergraduates, particularly at the Madrid-area campus.
• Universidad Loyola Andalucía: Jesuit private university in Seville launched in 2020 with a strongly Catholic values-based formation model similar to Comillas. Smaller-scale but directly competitive in the same Jesuit/Catholic private-university niche across humanities and social sciences.
• Universidad de Deusto: Jesuit private university in Bilbao with strong humanities, law, psychology, and social sciences programs. Shares Catholic-identity positioning, selective admission, and emphasis on small-group tutorials; competes with Comillas for similar student segments in northern Spain and for international exchange partners.

Broad incumbents

• Georgetown University: Leading global Jesuit university with strong humanities, social sciences, and international relations programs. Comparable selective admission, Catholic identity, and international dimension; serves as a benchmark for prestige and global brand in the same institutional archetype.
• Boston College: U.S. Catholic Jesuit university with humanities, psychology, education, and social sciences strengths. Comparable selective admissions, tutorial-style undergraduate education, and Jesuit/Catholic values-based formation serving a similar student archetype to Comillas CIHS.
• ESADE (Universitat Ramon Llull): Highly-ranked business and law school within the Ramon Llull private university system, sharing Barcelona's Catholic/Jesuit pedigree and competing for premium international applicants seeking Spanish private-university credentials. Established broad incumbent in adjacent professional segment.

Regional players

• Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile: Top-ranked Latin American Pontifical Catholic university with strong humanities, social sciences, and theology programs sharing the Vatican's Pontifical status. Operates in a different regional market but is institutionally and competitively analogous, and ranks alongside Comillas in cross-Latin-Atlantic Catholic university partnerships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/login
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/universidad-comillas---icade
• Instagraminstagram.com/comillaschs/?igsh=YzBmNzBudzgwc28w
• TikToktiktok.com/@comillaschs?_t=8iy2zvTqvKL&_r=1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Universidad Comillas - ICADE