Excitement, applause, and regional pride filled the atmosphere this Friday during the official inauguration of the UIS Málaga University Park, a project that now stands as a symbol of educational transformation for the García Rovira province, Santander, and northeastern Colombia.
With the presence of the President of the Republic, Gustavo Petro Urrego; the Minister of Education, Daniel Rojas Medellín; the rector of Universidad Industrial de Santander, Hernán Porras Díaz; regional authorities, members of the university community, and hundreds of residents from Málaga, the modern university campus officially began operations. The campus was conceived to expand access to high-quality public higher education in Santander.
A Commitment to University Regionalization
During the official ceremony, Rector Hernán Porras Díaz highlighted that the project “represents the realization of a process that began to take shape several years ago,” recalling that since 2016 the University started envisioning a new infrastructure model for its regional campuses.
“Dignifying public education also means this: offering high-quality spaces, caring for assets that belong to everyone, and demonstrating through actions that the regions deserve university environments of the highest standard,” stated the university leader during his speech.
The new university infrastructure was designed by architect Lorenzo Castro and involved an investment exceeding 105 billion Colombian pesos in construction, along with more than 12 billion pesos in technological and academic equipment.
The project was financed through resources from the Ministry of National Education, the Government of Santander, the ProUIS tax stamp initiative, and contributions from the Universidad Industrial de Santander itself. Additionally, the construction received support from the Mayor’s Office of Málaga through legal and administrative efforts that made the project possible.
Modern Infrastructure to Expand Educational Coverage
The new UIS Málaga campus has a total area of nearly 24,000 square meters, with more than 16,000 square meters of built space.
The campus will also increase student capacity to 1,275 students and strengthen academic offerings through university, technological, and professional technical programs, benefiting young people from Santander, Boyacá, and Norte de Santander.
Specialized laboratories, a library, auditoriums, computer classrooms, a veterinary clinic, a greenhouse, wellness areas, and collaborative spaces are all part of this mega-project that redefines university infrastructure in the region.
Innovative Architecture and State-of-the-Art Technology
One of the project’s most remarkable features is its architectural and urban design proposal, which incorporates innovative Swiss concrete shell technology, advanced Resilia concrete, and the use of Málaga travertine, a native marble extracted from the García Rovira province.
The Mayor of Málaga, Rubén Darío Moreno, stated that the project “represents more than a modern infrastructure; it symbolizes commitment to education, progress, and opportunities for future generations in our province.”
He also emphasized that the university campus will become “a unique architectural landmark in the country.”
Meanwhile, Sandra Milena Díaz, coordinator of the UIS Málaga campus, explained that the new campus “represents an opportunity to renew spaces and incorporate new equipment and technologies to support the University’s three core missions: teaching, research, and outreach.”
Professor Laura Álvarez, from the Animal Science program, affirmed that the new campus “represents much more than an architectural project; it is an opening toward knowledge and well-being in the region,” adding that having modern and comfortable facilities will allow high-quality scientific work to be carried out locally.
During the event, President Gustavo Petro Urrego stated:
“One of the fundamental aspects we identified is that the only way to build Colombia is by solving its essential problems. One of those problems is education. We have significantly increased the public education budget in our country. More funding was allocated to territorial entities, and we concentrated resources to prioritize investment in education. We approved resources for the coming years to ensure this effort continues. We hope that the majority of young people — ideally all of them — can access higher education in Colombia. It is not an impossible goal, though it is complex. We have achieved 60% coverage; it was 54%, so we increased it by six points. Education must be free and high-quality.”
He added:
“I am amazed by the beauty of what has been built here. This campus is one of the most beautiful in Latin America. Its integration with the surrounding environment may even earn it architecture awards. Whether it wins awards or not, it is a jewel we are delivering to Santander. This project is a treasure for decades to come, reflecting what this Government wants to represent: turning Colombia into a temple of knowledge. A jewel like this campus will attract tourism and attention to Málaga, making education another pillar of development.”
Likewise, Minister of National Education Daniel Rojas Medellín noted that:
“Rector Hernán Porras was among those who best understood that this infrastructure initiative to build university campuses is aimed at improving the quality of higher education through these extraordinary projects. UIS is one of the universities that has advanced the most in expanding and improving public higher education. Its presence is no longer limited to Santander; it is now reaching territories such as Saravena, Inírida, Mitú, and Puerto Carreño.”
The inauguration of the UIS Málaga University Park marks a new chapter for public education in Santander and reaffirms the institution’s commitment to university regionalization, providing thousands of young people from Santander, Boyacá, and Norte de Santander with the opportunity to build their future without leaving their territory.
“May this University Park become a home for knowledge, a meeting point for the community, and a source of pride for the García Rovira province,” concluded Rector Hernán Porras Díaz during a ceremony that made clear that, from today onward, Málaga is consolidating itself as an academic and development hub for the entire region.
