Universidad Abierta y a Distancia de Panamá (UNADP)

What Universidad Abierta y a Distancia de Panamá (UNADP) does

Universidad Abierta y a Distancia de Panamá (UNADP) is a state-recognized Panamanian public university established by Executive Decree No. 159 on April 13, 1994, dedicated to distance and hybrid higher education for adult learners. It operates three faculties — Ciencias Humanísticas, Ciencias Ambientales, and Ciencias Administrativas y Económicas — offering 15 academic programs at technical, bachelor's, teaching, specialization, and master's levels. The institution is accredited by Panama's CONEAUPA (initial accreditation 2012, reaccreditation December 13, 2022) and all academic programs are validated by the Universidad de Panamá through the Technical Commission for Academic Development (CTDA).

The core product is a hybrid distance-learning platform. Asynchronous delivery runs on a Chamilo-based LMS branded "UNADP Virtual," delivering modules prepared by subject-matter experts. Synchronous virtual classes run on BigBlueButton (browser-based, no software download required) with weekly or monthly sessions of 2.5–3 hours. The platform is supplemented by an integrated job board (Hiringroom Campus "Bolsa de Empleo") and a scientific journal (Revista Científica SCIRE). Supporting channels include three physical centers — Calidonia headquarters, Tocumen (El Faro), and Penonomé — plus evening and weekend scheduling (Monday–Friday 6pm–8:30pm, Saturday 8:30am–5:30pm).

The business model is credit-based tuition billed monthly, with payment methods spanning bank deposit, electronic transfer, Yappy mobile payments, cash, and card. An annual registration fee (payable in installments) is layered on top of per-course charges. The marketing motion is sales-led and field-driven: adult-student recruitment through website inquiries, social media (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn), school outreach, university fairs, and community activities. Target segments are working adults constrained by time, geography, or family responsibilities, and professionals seeking recognized credentials. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; no funding rounds, M&A activity, or leadership changes are documented, consistent with a state-entity operating posture.

Name

Universidad Abierta y a Distancia de Panamá (UNADP)

Legal name

Universidad Abierta y a Distancia de Panamá

Website

https://unadp.ac.pa

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Universidad Abierta y a Distancia de Panamá (UNADP) is a state-recognized Panamanian public distance university offering 15 hybrid (virtual + semi-presential) programs across three faculties to working adults with time or geographic constraints.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Distance Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA)

Keywords

• Distance higher education
• Online university programs
• Adult continuing education
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate degree programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Panama City

HQ country

Panama

HQ region

Latin America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees (Credit-Based): Students pay per credit/course based on the number of credits per subject. The total program cost is the sum of individual course fees. An annual registration fee is also charged and can be paid in installments throughout the academic year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Universidad Abierta y a Distancia de Panamá (UNADP) is a public distance education university delivering 15 academic programs across three faculties (Humanistic Sciences, Environmental Sciences, and Administrative and Economic Sciences) at technical, bachelor's, teaching, specialization, and master's levels. Programs are delivered through flexible semi-presential (evening and weekend) and 100% virtual modalities, combining asynchronous module-based learning on the Chamilo LMS with synchronous sessions via BigBlueButton. Total program cost is the sum of per-credit course fees plus an annual registration fee payable in installments.

Product overview

UNADP operates as a distance and open university offering a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core platform consists of UNADP Virtual (Chamilo LMS) for asynchronous online learning and BigBlueButton (BBB) for synchronous virtual classroom sessions. These are supplemented by the Bolsa de Empleo job board service and the Revista Científica SCIRE research journal. Academic offerings are organized across three faculties—Ciencias Humanísticas, Ciencias Ambientales, and Ciencias Administrativas y Económicas—providing 15 programs at technical, undergraduate, specialization, and master's levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor's Degree Programs (Licenciaturas) Six undergraduate bachelor's degree programs (licenciaturas) spanning human resource administration, banking and finance, accounting, business administration, environmental sciences, and education fields. Delivered via flexible distance and semi-presential modalities with credit-based pricing. Designed for working adults in Panama seeking recognized undergraduate credentials.
• Master's Degree Programs (Maestrías) Four master's degree programs (maestrías) covering education, psychopedagogy, environmental sciences, and administrative/economic sciences. Program duration of 1 year 4 months to 2 years. Delivered via UNADP Virtual and BigBlueButton with credit-based pricing. Targeted at professionals seeking postgraduate credentials for career advancement.
• Specializations (Especializaciones) Two postgraduate specialization programs (especializaciones) of 1-year duration, primarily in education-related fields including educational administration and adult education. Designed for professionals seeking focused postgraduate credentials without the longer commitment of a full master's degree.
• Technical Programs (Técnicos) Two technical (técnico) programs of 2-year duration covering environmental sciences, forestry, agribusiness, and renewable energy areas. Shorter-form credential options for adult learners seeking practical, employment-ready qualifications.
• Teaching Programs (Programas de Docencia) Two teaching programs (programas de docencia) of 1 year 3 months duration offered through the Faculty of Humanistic Sciences, covering primary education and educational administration. Targeted at aspiring or current teachers needing formal teaching credentials.
• UNADP Virtual (Chamilo LMS) Chamilo-based learning management system providing 100% virtual course delivery with course management, user authentication, and content delivery. Enables asynchronous module-based learning for enrolled UNADP students across all programs.
• BigBlueButton (BBB) Virtual Classroom Browser-based BigBlueButton virtual classroom platform enabling synchronous live sessions between facilitators and participants without requiring software downloads. Sessions last 2.5 to 3 hours and occur weekly or four times monthly. Used for semi-presential delivery across UNADP's academic programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Program duration: Technical 2 years, Bachelor's 3 years 8 months to 4 years, Teaching programs 1 year 3 months, Specializations 1 year, Master's 1 year 4 months to 2 years

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• AIESADminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational association of distance education institutions for collaboration and best practice sharing
• Universidad Santo Tomas (Colombia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational university partnership for academic collaboration with Colombian institution
• CREADminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional distance education consortium for knowledge exchange and collaborative initiatives
• Colegio de Contadores Públicos Autorizados de PanamáminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional accounting association partnership for accounting program students
• Hospital del NiñoOthersChildren's hospital partnership for community outreach activities including reading programs
• IFARHUminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPanamanian education financial institution accepting scholarships and financial aid for UNADP students
• Cooperativa De Ahorro Y Créditos Magisterio Panameño UnidominorOthersTeachers' credit union partnership for professional development
• MiAmbienteminorOthersEnvironmental ministry partnership for reforestation and environmental programs
• CATHALACminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater center partnership for environmental sciences academic collaboration

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• ULACIT (Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnología): Panamanian private university with business, technology, and engineering programs including online modalities. Comparable as a domestic peer competing for the same Panama-based adult-learner segment, with similar tuition-driven revenue model.
• Universidad Latina de Panamá: Panama's largest private university, offering a wide range of programs with online and hybrid options. Comparable as a competitor for Panama's working-adult higher-education market, but broader and more established than UNADP.
• Universidad del Istmo (UDELISTMO): Panamanian private university offering undergraduate and graduate programs with some online modalities. Comparable as a Panamanian higher-education peer targeting adult learners in the same geographic market as UNADP.

Broad incumbents

• Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL): Ecuador's private university with extensive distance and online programs serving adult learners across Spanish-speaking Latin America. Comparable as a Spanish-language institution with significant virtual modality, but broader portfolio and substantially larger scale than UNADP.
• Universidad de Panamá: Panama's flagship public university and the institution whose CTDA oversees UNADP's academic program validation. Compares as a Panamanian higher-education peer, but operates a traditional on-campus model at much larger scale than UNADP.
• Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá (UTP): Panama's leading public technological university, offering engineering and science programs with some online components. Relevant as a domestic peer competing for the same pool of Panamanian adult learners seeking recognized credentials.

Direct peers

• Universidad Estatal a Distancia (UNED) Costa Rica: Costa Rica's public distance education university, offering technical, undergraduate, and graduate programs to adult learners via virtual and semi-presential formats. Highly comparable to UNADP as a Central American public open university serving similar working-adult populations.
• Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED) España: Spain's national public distance education university, the largest open university in the Spanish-speaking world. Comparable to UNADP as a public institution offering recognized undergraduate and graduate degrees via virtual and semi-presential delivery to adult learners.
• Universidad Abierta para Adultos (UAPA): Dominican Republic's distance education university targeting working adults with hybrid virtual and in-person programs. Comparable to UNADP as a Spanish-language open university serving working-adult populations in a neighboring Caribbean/Central American market.
• Universidad Abierta y a Distancia de México (UnADM): Mexico's public distance and open university, government-established to deliver higher education to working adults via online and hybrid formats. Operates the same Spanish-language public distance university model as UNADP at substantially larger scale across Mexico.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/unadppanama
• Facebookfacebook.com/unadpanama
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/universidad-abierta-y-a-distancia-de-panam%C3%A1
• Instagraminstagram.com/unadppanama

Compliance3 records

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 Abierta y a Distancia de Panamá (UNADP)