Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, Bolivia

What Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, Bolivia does

Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA) is a public university founded in 1830 in La Paz, Bolivia, and is the country's oldest and largest public higher education institution. It operates 13 faculties covering agriculture, architecture, economics, pharmaceutical sciences, geology, pure and natural sciences, social sciences, law, humanities, engineering, medicine, odontology, and technology, delivering more than 60 undergraduate career programs and hundreds of postgraduate offerings (master's, doctorates, specializations, and diplomas) coordinated through the DIPGIS (Dirección de Investigación, Postgrado e Interacción Social) unit. UMSA supplements classroom instruction with a portfolio of owned digital and media infrastructure including the Campus Virtual UMSA learning platform, the SIA Académica student information system, TVU (Televisión Universitaria) broadcasting 25 programs over 24 hours, Radio San Andrés 97.6 FM, the Pure UMSA research portal, and virtual libraries.

The university's technology stack is built on a Liferay-based web portal with Google For Education integration for institutional email and collaboration, and includes proprietary assets such as the Khatu digital bartering platform (digitalizing the indigenous Andean 'ayni' reciprocity concept) and an in-house medical oxygen generator developed during health emergencies. UMSA's revenue model combines Bolivian government budget allocations, recurring tuition and academic fees (including Bs. 242 late-registration penalties), postgraduate program fees via DIPGIS, and transaction-based certificate and title processing fees (Bs. 2,398 for nationals, Bs. 3,597 for foreign postdoctorate certificates). The institution serves four primary segments — undergraduate students, postgraduate students, researchers and faculty, and the broader Bolivian public via community extension services — and distributes educational content through campus-based instruction, its virtual campus, TVU streaming, and radio broadcasting across La Paz and Bolivia.

Name

Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, Bolivia

Legal name

Universidad Mayor de San Andrés

Website

https://umsa.bo

Company type

Private

Founded year

1830

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA) is Bolivia's oldest public university, founded in 1830 in La Paz, delivering undergraduate and postgraduate programs across 13 faculties and serving students, researchers, and the broader Bolivian community through owned broadcasting and digital learning infrastructure.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Universities with Energy, Materials & Sustainability Focus (EDAHAEAL)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate academic programs
• Postgraduate research programs
• Distance learning platforms
• University broadcasting media

Headquarters

HQ city

La Paz

HQ country

Bolivia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Academic Fees: University collects tuition fees and academic service fees from students, including registration, late registration penalties (Bs. 242 for late enrollment), and various administrative fees for diplomas, certificates, and titles
2. Postgraduate Programs: Revenue from postgraduate specializations, master's degrees, doctorates, and diplomas offered through DIPGIS across all faculties with fees varying by program type
3. Certificate and Title Processing: Fees for apostille certification, academic certificates, professional titles, and postdoctorate certificates (Bs. 2,398 nationals, Bs. 3,597 foreigners for postdoctorate certificates)
4. Government Funding: Public university funded substantially by Bolivian government allocations as part of the public higher education system under CEUB coordination

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA) is Bolivia's oldest public university (founded 1830), delivering higher education across 13 faculties with over 60 undergraduate career programs and hundreds of postgraduate offerings (master's, doctorates, specializations, diplomas). The university supports teaching and research through digital platforms including Campus Virtual UMSA, SIA academic information system, Pure research portal, and DIPGIS postgraduate coordination, while operating TVU university television and Radio San Andrés 97.6 FM as educational broadcasting outlets.

Product overview

Universidad Mayor de San Andrés operates a diversified portfolio of interconnected educational services organized around its core academic mission. The primary offerings include undergraduate and graduate programs across 14 faculties, supported by specialized platforms: TVU (Televisión Universitaria) and Radio San Andrés 97.6 FM serve as media channels for academic dissemination and cultural programming; the Campus Virtual UMSA enables distance education; DIPGIS coordinates postgraduate and research activities; SIA manages academic administration; and institutional services include Google-powered email, virtual libraries, and the Pure research portal. The university also developed the Khatu digital bartering platform and publishes official communications via Gaceta Universitaria. Together, these products form an integrated educational ecosystem serving students, researchers, faculty, and the broader Bolivian community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs Professional undergraduate degree programs offered across 13 faculties covering agriculture, architecture, economics, pharmacy, geology, sciences, social sciences, law, humanities, engineering, medicine, dentistry, and technology for high school graduates seeking university qualifications.
• Postgraduate Programs (Maestrías, Doctorados, Diplomados) Advanced academic degrees and research specializations including master's degrees, doctorates, specializations, and diplomas coordinated through DIPGIS for professionals seeking advanced academic credentials.
• TVU - Televisión Universitaria University television broadcasting 24 hours daily with 25 programs reaching 323,763 viewers, providing news, educational content, cultural programming, and scientific dissemination to the Bolivian public.
• Radio San Andrés 97.6 FM (RUSA) University radio station broadcasting on FM 97.6 and online, featuring news, cultural programming, music shows, and educational content for the La Paz and broader Bolivian audience.
• Campus Virtual UMSA Online distance learning platform providing course materials, learning management, and virtual education capabilities for undergraduate and postgraduate students at UMSA.
• SIA - Sistema de Información Académica Academic information system managing student enrollment, records, grades, and administration of diplomas, certificates, apostilles, and professional titles across all UMSA faculties.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Alcaldía de La Paz (Municipality of La Paz)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026UMSA and the Municipality of La Paz signed a cooperation agreement to drive development projects, convert knowledge into solutions for La Paz, and collaborate on regional development initiatives
• Banco Mercantil Santa CruzminorOthersCorporate sponsor of TVU university television broadcasting, supporting the university's media infrastructure and educational programming
• Comité Ejecutivo de la Universidad Boliviana (CEUB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUMSA is a member of CEUB, the governing body coordinating Bolivia's public universities, participating in national higher education policy and student admission systems
• ENTEL (Bolivian telecommunications)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for tele-education initiatives connecting the university with telecommunications infrastructure for distance learning
• AUGM (Asociación de Universidades Grupal Montevideo)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUMSA holds the presidency of the AUGM Regional Consortium, an international association of universities for academic cooperation across Latin America

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Universidad Técnica de Oruro (UTO): Bolivian public technical university with strong engineering and technology faculties, also under CEUB coordination. A direct domestic peer for technical education offerings and CEUB-driven policy alignment.
• Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos: Peru's flagship public university, also founded in the colonial era (1551), with a similarly comprehensive academic portfolio across multiple faculties and public funding model. The most direct structural peer to UMSA in the Andean region.
• Universidad de Chile: Chile's flagship public university with comparable comprehensive faculty structure, research-intensive orientation, and government funding model. Strong comparable for academic positioning and postgraduate ecosystem.
• Universidad Mayor, Real y Pontificia de San Francisco Xavier de Chuquisaca: Bolivia's oldest university (founded 1624), UMSA's most direct domestic peer in faculty structure, public funding model, and historical role as a national public university.
• Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA): Argentina's largest public university with comprehensive faculties, free tuition model, and similar government-dependent funding structure. A leading comparable for scale, faculty breadth, and public-university governance dynamics.
• Universidad Nacional de Colombia (UNAL): Colombia's principal public university with multi-campus presence and comprehensive faculties. Directly comparable in governance structure, funding model, and mission to serve national higher education needs.

Emerging players

• Coursera: Global online education platform increasingly partnering with universities to deliver online credentials. Represents the structural shift toward digital, employer-recognized learning that competes with traditional university delivery models.
• Universidad Privada Boliviana (UPB): Leading Bolivian private university competing with UMSA for the same student demographic but with more applied, English-language, and industry-aligned programs. Represents the private-sector competitive threat to UMSA's traditional model.

Broad incumbents

• Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM): Latin America's largest public university with comprehensive program offerings, autonomous governance, and significant media infrastructure (its own TV channel). A broad incumbent benchmark for scale and prestige in the region.

Regional players

• Universidad Católica Boliviana (UCB): Major Bolivian private university with multi-campus presence across the country. A regional peer competing for the same undergraduate and postgraduate student pool as UMSA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UMSAinformacion
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@umsasomostodos-s8q7g
• Facebookfacebook.com/UMSAinformacion
• Instagraminstagram.com/umsa.somostodos

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, Bolivia