Universidad Católica del Táchira

What Universidad Católica del Táchira does

Universidad Católica del Táchira (UCAT) is a private, non-profit Catholic university operating under the high patronage of the Bishop of the Diocese of San Cristóbal and historically directed by the Compañía de Jesús. Headquartered in San Cristóbal, Estado Táchira, Venezuela, with two physical campuses (Sabana Larga and Loma del Tejar) and a third administrative presence in Barrio Obrero, UCAT was founded in 1962 as an extension of Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, became autonomous in 1982 via Presidential Decree No. 1567, and received canonical erection from Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. The institution is the oldest higher education provider in the Táchira region and serves undergraduate and graduate students from the Andean zone and the Colombo-Venezuelan border area.

Academically, UCAT delivers degree programs through five faculties — Ciencias Jurídicas y Políticas, Ciencias Económicas y Sociales, Humanidades y Educación, Ciencias de la Religión, and Investigación y Postgrado — and supports them with a virtual education platform (e-Virtual UCAT), a virtual library, online student services for grades and balances, and six-plus computer laboratories housing 170+ workstations. Research output includes four peer-reviewed academic journals (Tachirense de Derecho, Tributum, Derecho y Tecnología, Paramillo) and the Observatorio Social del Estado Táchira (OSET), which conducts socio-economic research on Táchira and Apure, including studies on violence, poverty, and migration. Internationalization is delivered via the CARLUCAT office and the institution's membership in RED AUSJAL, a network of 31 Jesuit universities across 14 Latin American countries.

Commercially, UCAT generates revenue from tuition and academic fees paid by undergraduate and graduate students (a recurring/subscription-style stream) and from continuing-education programs, workshops, and certifications offered to professionals and the general public (a professional-services stream). Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is administered through the Departamento de Asuntos Socioeconómicos with flexible payment plans. The go-to-market model is a hybrid of traditional admissions-led recruitment (Coordinación de Admisión) and direct registration through the Secretaría General, supplemented by organic social media, a dedicated press office (Prensa UCAT), and a 2026 partnership with ACNUR (UNHCR) for research and social-impact work in the border region.

Name

Universidad Católica del Táchira

Legal name

Universidad Católica del Táchira

Website

https://ucat.edu.ve

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Universidad Católica del Táchira is a private, Jesuit-affiliated university in San Cristóbal, Venezuela, offering undergraduate and graduate programs across five faculties, supported by a virtual education platform, computer labs, four academic journals, and a regional social observatory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAKAG

Christian Colleges with Theological Programs

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Religious & Theological Colleges

SECONDARYEDAHAKAD

Theological Universities & Pontifical Universities

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Religious & Theological Colleges

SECONDARYEDAHAFAA

Undergraduate Teacher Education Colleges

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Teacher Training Colleges (Education Schools)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Catholic university programs
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate and postgraduate studies
• Social science research

Headquarters

HQ city

Caracas

HQ country

Venezuela

HQ region

Latin America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Academic Fees: Tuition payments from undergraduate and graduate students for academic programs, including registration fees, course fees, and administrative charges for certifications and transcripts.
2. Continuing Education Programs: Revenue from education continuing programs, workshops, certifications, and specialized training courses offered to professionals and the general public.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Universidad Católica del Táchira delivers Jesuit higher education through undergraduate degree programs across five faculties (Law and Political Sciences, Economics and Social Sciences, Humanities and Education, Religious Sciences, and Research and Postgraduate), graduate and postgraduate programs including specializations, master's degrees, and doctoral studies, continuing education programs for professionals, and applied social research via the Observatorio Social del Estado Táchira. Services are delivered primarily on-campus in San Cristóbal with a virtual education platform (e-Virtual UCAT) supplementing in-person instruction.

Product overview

Universidad Católica del Táchira is a private Catholic university offering higher education services through multiple faculties including Sciences, Economics and Social Sciences, Law and Political Sciences, Humanities and Education, and Religious Sciences. The institution operates a virtual education platform (Educación Virtual), a virtual library system with electronic databases, online student services for grade consultation and registration, and computer laboratory facilities across its campuses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs Undergraduate degree programs across five faculties: Ciencias Jurídicas y Políticas (Law and Political Sciences), Ciencias Económicas y Sociales (Economics and Social Sciences), Humanidades y Educación (Humanities and Education), Ciencias de la Religión (Religious Sciences), and programs in business administration, psychology, and education. Targeted at high school graduates in the Táchira region and Colombian border areas.
• Graduate and Postgraduate Programs Postgraduate programs including specializations, master's degrees, and doctoral studies across law, business, education, and social sciences, delivered by the Decanato de Investigación y Postgrado for working professionals and advanced scholars.
• Continuing Education Programs Continuing education workshops, certifications, and specialized training courses for professionals and the general public, delivered through the Departamento de Educación Continua.
• Educación Virtual UCAT (Virtual Education Platform) Online learning platform providing virtual and hybrid courses for the regional, national, and international community, supporting remote instruction and digital course delivery as a supplement to on-campus programs.
• Observatorio Social del Estado Táchira (OSET) Social research observatory conducting applied studies on regional socioeconomic realities, including violence, poverty, migration, and border issues, using quantitative and qualitative methodologies; produces publications including a digital bulletin and supports evidence-based policy for government and civil society.
• Academic Journals Collection Peer-reviewed academic journals published by the university, including Tachirense de Derecho, Tributum, Derecho y Tecnología, and Paramillo, with archives dating back to 1983, disseminating faculty and external scholarly research.
• Biblioteca Virtual (Virtual Library Services) Virtual library service providing access to online databases, electronic publications, digital journals, and research resources for the university community.

Named customers3 records

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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ACNUR (Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Refugiados)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership for research and social impact, focusing on issues related to refugees and displaced populations in the border region. The university collaborates with UNHCR on studies and initiatives addressing migration and humanitarian concerns.
• RED AUSJAL (Red de Universidades Confiadas a la Compañía de Jesús)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Universidad Católica del Táchira is part of the AUSJAL network comprising 31 Jesuit universities and higher education institutions across 14 Latin American countries. This partnership facilitates student and faculty mobility, joint research initiatives, and collaborative academic programs within the Jesuit educational network.
• Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (UCAB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical partnership as the founding institution - UCAT originated as the Extensión Táchira of UCAB in 1962. UCAB provided initial academic direction through the Jesuits and continues as a sister institution within the Catholic university system.
• Diótesis de San CristóbalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Diocese of San Cristóbal, through its Bishop who serves as Gran Canciller, holds the high patronage of the university. The Diocese initiated the establishment of the university as an instrument of cultural evangelization and maintains spiritual oversight.
• Universidad de Navarra (España)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for faculty formation - the university's Rector holds a degree from the Universidad de Navarra in Pamplona, Spain, indicating academic exchange and collaboration in Jesuit educational traditions.
• Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (Colombia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for doctoral studies - the Vicerrector Académico is pursuing doctoral studies at UPB Medellín, facilitating cross-border academic collaboration.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Pontificia Universidad Javeriana: Major Colombian Jesuit university and AUSJAL member. Comparable as a canonical-erected, multi-faculty Jesuit university with significant research output and graduate programs, though much larger than UCAT.
• Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV): Venezuela's largest public university. Comparable as a multi-faculty Venezuelan higher-education institution with active doctoral programs and research output, although state-run and substantially larger than UCAT.
• Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV): Chilean Catholic university with multiple faculties and community engagement. Comparable as a regional Catholic university serving a defined territory with social-research and extension activities.
• Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC Chile): One of Latin America's leading Catholic research universities. Comparable as a canonical-erected Catholic university with multiple faculties and significant research output, though much larger and more research-intensive than UCAT.
• Universidad Católica del Norte (UCN): Chilean Catholic university with multiple campuses and regional focus. Comparable as a private Catholic university with strong research and community engagement in a defined geographic region.
• Universidad Iberoamericana (IBERO): Jesuit university in Mexico, member of AUSJAL alongside UCAT. Comparable as a private Jesuit higher-education institution offering undergraduate and graduate programs with social-research orientation.

Direct peers

• Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (UCAB): UCAB is the founding parent of UCAT (originally UCABET extension) and a leading Venezuelan Jesuit university. It is directly comparable as a private Catholic university under the same Jesuit tradition with a broader national footprint.
• Universidad de Navarra: Spanish Jesuit-linked university and UCAT partner for faculty formation (UCAT Rector holds a Navarra degree). Comparable as a private Catholic university with strong graduate, research, and publishing capabilities.
• Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (UPB): A Colombian Catholic university and an active UCAT partner for doctoral studies. Comparable as a Catholic/Christian higher-education institution with graduate programs and a Jesuit-aligned academic culture in a neighboring border region.

Regional players

• Universidad Nacional Experimental del Táchira (UNET): Public university located in the same Táchira region, directly competing for the same prospective student pool. Comparable as a higher-education institution in San Cristóbal offering undergraduate and graduate programs in similar disciplines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/notiucat
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCwEbYSB1R9fzlII-8dcxuYA?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/notiucat
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/universidad-cat-lica-del-t-chira
• Instagraminstagram.com/notiucat
• TikToktiktok.com/@notiucatoficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Católica del Táchira