The Industrial University of Santander (UIS) held a hybrid welcome and orientation day for nearly 1,000 students beginning their academic training in the second semester of 2025 at the Institute for Regional Outreach and Distance Education (IPRED).
This number of new admissions is an encouraging indicator for the Institute’s management, as it reflects the growing confidence of the public in the quality and relevance of the programs offered by IPRED in its various modalities.
“IPRED currently has more than 5,000 students, which represents a great challenge as a public university. These new members arrive at a crucial moment, marked by profound transformations in both education and society. We have always worked for the comprehensive training of people with an ethical perspective, and that commitment fills us with satisfaction,” said Gonzalo Patiño, director of IPRED.
During the day, new students had the opportunity to meet part of the university’s management team, attend talks on academic and disciplinary guidelines, and receive detailed information about the programs they will be studying. They also took a tour of the UIS central campus.
“I really liked the training. The topics covered were very useful, and the tour of the university was very nice. I first visited UIS when I was 10 years old because I was accompanying my sister. Today, I find it more modern, with new spaces and better classrooms,” said Juan Prado, a student in the Professional Technical Program in Agricultural Production.
For many, IPRED represents an invaluable opportunity to achieve long-delayed goals or continue their education without neglecting work or family responsibilities.
“My greatest motivation is to better myself. I am a single mother and was unable to study when I was young due to various circumstances. Today, my job allows me to do so, and I have the support of my children. At IPRED, I see the possibility of fulfilling my dreams,” said Yorleniz Sandoval, a student of Pharmacy Technology.
“I am a certified public accountant and currently work as a manager for a company that sells crop protection products. I need to acquire knowledge in agribusiness. It’s a big challenge: I’m 55 years old and haven’t studied in over a decade. But you have to keep learning to respond to the challenges of the work environment,” said Javier Caballero, a student of Agribusiness Administration.
IPRED offers technical, technological, and professional programs in distance and virtual formats, providing access to higher education to communities throughout the country, with flexibility and academic quality.
