Universidad de San Buenaventura

What Universidad de San Buenaventura does

Universidad de San Buenaventura Cali is a private, non-profit higher education institution operating under the Bonaventurian Franciscan tradition and supervised by Colombia's Ministry of National Education (MEN). Founded in Cali, Valle del Cauca around 1970-1975 via Resolution No. 1326 of March 25, 1975, it forms part of a multicampus corporate university system with sister campuses in Bogotá, Medellín, and Cartagena. The institution employs approximately 985 staff and offers academic programs across six faculties: Architecture, Art and Design; Economic Sciences; Human and Social Sciences; Law and Political Sciences; Engineering; and the Escuela de Deporte. Programs span undergraduate (pregrado), graduate (posgrado), doctoral, continuing education, and fully online modalities delivered via the Centro de Educación Virtual (CEV). Teaching, enrollment, grading, and financial operations run on an Oracle PeopleSoft-based campus management system (ASIS), with course delivery supported by an Aulas Virtuales LMS and Outlook 365 collaboration tools.

The university's core revenue model is recurring tuition and matriculation fees regulated by Rector's Resolution S.1.1-1981 and differentiated by program level (pregrado vs. posgrado). Secondary revenue streams include academic services (certificates, accreditations), campus facility rentals, and ancillary commercial operations such as Restaurante L'Umbría, the university store, and a minimarket. Student acquisition relies on direct-to-consumer channels including campus events (Inducciones, SanBue Xperience, Full Day tours, Becatón), high school outreach (Modelo ONU, VOX IURIS), Instagram organic social, and the RadioMedia USB platform. Supporting the academic mission are wholly-owned operational units: Editorial Bonaventuriana (publishing), HUB CTeI (research and innovation), Centro de Innovación en Educación y Pedagogía (CEA), CIDEH (humanistic studies), RadioMedia USB, and pro bono service centers including Consultorio Jurídico, Centro de Conciliación, and Centro de Atención en Salud Mental USB OSD. International expansion is pursued via mobility agreements with universities such as Universidad Camilo José Cela (Spain) and participation in regional networks including LatAm COIL.

Name

Universidad de San Buenaventura

Legal name

UNIVERSIDAD DE SAN BUENAVENTURA

Website

https://usbcali.edu.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Universidad de San Buenaventura Cali is a private, non-profit Franciscan university in Cali, Colombia, offering undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and online programs across six faculties to students in southwestern Colombia, with revenue driven by regulated tuition, continuing education, and campus services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Higher education
• Undergraduate programs
• Graduate programs
• Continuing education
• Online learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Cali

HQ country

Colombia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

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 Registration Fees: Primary revenue from tuition fees for undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs. Fee structures vary by program level (pregrado, posgrado) and are regulated by institutional resolution.
2. Academic Services: Revenue from academic services including certificates, accreditation processes, and administrative fees
3. Campus Facilities: Revenue from physical space rental, restaurant services (Restaurante L'Umbría), university store, and minimarket operations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Universidad de San Buenaventura Cali is a private, non-profit Catholic university delivering undergraduate, graduate (specializations, master's, doctoral), and continuing education programs across six faculties: Architecture/Art/Design, Economics, Human/Social Sciences, Law/Political Sciences, Engineering, and Sports. The institution supplements its academic programs with virtual education through CEV, applied services including legal consultancy, mediation/arbitration, mental health care, and language training, plus supporting infrastructure such as library, research hub (HUB CTeI), and Editorial Bonaventuriana publishing house.

Product overview

Universidad de San Buenaventura Cali operates as a comprehensive private university offering a multi-level academic portfolio organized into six faculties (Architecture/Art/Design, Economics, Human/Social Sciences, Law/Political Sciences, Engineering, and Sports). The core academic offerings include undergraduate programs, specializations, master's degrees, and doctorates, supplemented by a robust continuing education division and virtual programs through its Centro de Educación Virtual (CEV). Supporting the academic mission are specialized centers: HUB CTeI for research and innovation, CEA for educational pedagogy innovation, Editorial Bonaventuriana for publishing, RadioMedia USB for media, a Language Center, Library services, and practical service centers including a Legal Consultancy, Mental Health Center, Community Development Center, and Arbitration Center. Administrative operations are supported by the ASIS campus management system and Aulas Virtuales learning platform. The institutional architecture is platform-based, with the academic programs serving as the primary offering and the auxiliary centers and digital platforms functioning as integrated support services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Programas Académicos (Pregrado, Posgrado, Doctorados) Core academic degree programs including undergraduate (pregrado) degrees, specializations, master's degrees (maestrías), and doctorates across six faculties: Architecture/Art/Design, Economics, Human/Social Sciences, Law/Political Sciences, Engineering, and Sports. Designed for high-school graduates seeking undergraduate degrees and professionals pursuing advanced credentials.
• Educación Continua Continuing education programs offering diplomas, certificates, and professional development courses for lifelong learning. Targeted at working professionals and alumni seeking ongoing skill development.
• Programas Virtuales (Centro de Educación Virtual - CEV) Fully online academic programs delivered through the Centro de Educación Virtual, including virtual specializations (e.g., Procedural Law, Territorial Development, Public Management), online master's programs, and continuing education. Designed for students nationwide who require remote study options.
• Centro de Idiomas Language learning programs and certifications offered by the university's language center to complement academic curricula and provide standalone language training to students and external learners.
• Centro de Atención en Salud Mental USB OSD Mental health care center providing psychological and psychiatric services to students and the broader university community, operating as an IPS (Institución Prestadora de Servicios de Salud).
• Consultorio Jurídico Free legal consultation service provided by law students under professional supervision, offering pro-bono legal assistance to the community as part of academic practice requirements.
• Centro de Conciliación, Arbitraje y Amigable Composición Mediation, arbitration, and amicable composition center providing alternative dispute resolution services to external clients and the university community.
• Centro de Desarrollo Comunitario San Francisco de Asís Community development center engaging in social projection activities and community service programs aligned with the Franciscan educational mission, serving external community members in the Cali region.

Quantifiable outcome

• Revista Guillermo de Ockham positioned in Category A2 of Publindex 2026 out of 648 publications in the country
• +2 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Organización de Estados Americanos (OEA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 October 2026Collaboration in organizing the IV Congreso Internacional REDICOP on strategic public procurement professionalization. OAS co-organizes this high-level academic, technical, and institutional event focused on strengthening state capacity, institutional performance, and public value generation.
• Red interamericana de Compras GubernamentalescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 October 2026Co-organizer of IV Congreso Internacional REDICOP, focusing on strategic professionalization of public procurement across Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Alcaldía de Cali (Secretaría de Desarrollo Económico)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 July 2026Partnership for Mi Primera Exportación project to strengthen MIPYME internationalization capabilities. Joint initiative between academia, government, and private sector for regional economic development.
• ACOPI (Asociación Colombiana de la Pequeña y Mediana Industria)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 July 2026Strategic partner in Mi Primera Exportación project providing tools and support for MIPYMES to enter international markets through business networking and trade capacity building.
• Universidad Camilo José Cela (Spain)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for SFERA EXPERIENCE international program focused on social innovation and sustainable project development. Students participate in design and development of social innovation projects.
• Universidad de Antioquia (UDEA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic collaboration in sports where students from both universities compete together in doubles mixed table tennis at FISUAMERICA GAMES 2026.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Pontificia Universidad Javeriana: Larger Jesuit private university in Bogotá with the same religious tradition as USB Cali. Operates as a broader national incumbent with overlapping program mix and alumni networks across Colombia.
• Universidad de los Andes: Colombia's leading private research university based in Bogotá. Competes for top-tier graduate students, faculty talent, and research funding; sets the benchmark for alta calidad credentials USB Cali aspires to.

Regional players

• Universidad Libre: Private Colombian university with multiple campuses and a long-standing presence in Cali. Competes in undergraduate law, engineering, and economics programs with comparable tuition positioning.

Direct peers

• Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Cali: Jesuit-affiliated private university located in the same city (Cali) with comparable multi-faculty offering and graduate program portfolio. Direct competitor for undergraduate and graduate students in southwestern Colombia.
• Universidad EAFIT: High-quality private university in Medellín with strong engineering, economics, and continuing education divisions. Sister member of the multicampus Universidad San Buenaventura system operates nearby, making EAFIT a structural peer for student and corporate market share.
• Universidad ICESI: Top-tier private university in Cali with strong engineering, economics, and business programs. Competes head-to-head with USB Cali for high-achieving local applicants and corporate recruiting partnerships.
• Universidad del Norte: Private university in Barranquilla with alta calidad accreditation and broad multi-faculty offering. Comparable in size, accreditation tier, and graduate program breadth to USB Cali.
• Universidad Externado de Colombia: Private Bogotá university with leading law and social sciences programs. Competes with USB Cali's Law faculty for graduate students and Consultorio Jurídico-style pro-bono positioning.
• Universidad Sergio Arboleda: Private Bogotá university offering undergraduate and graduate programs with national footprint. Competes for continuing education, virtual learners, and scholarship-funded students.
• Universidad del Rosario: Bogotá-based private university with strong law and health sciences programs plus doctoral-level research output. Comparable on academic prestige, accreditation status, and tuition-driven business model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/usbcali
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/universidad-de-san-buenaventura-cali

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries6 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 de San Buenaventura