A decisive step for public higher education in eastern Colombia is taking shape in Arauca. During an institutional meeting between the Academic Council of the Industrial University of Santander (UIS) and the governor of the department, Renson Martínez, the transfer of the land where Phase I of the infrastructure necessary for the UIS’s academic offerings in the municipality of Saravena will be built was made official.
The act is not just an administrative formality. In the words of those involved, it is the beginning of a long-awaited dream for the department of Llanos.
With the signing of the loan agreement, the building permit process will officially begin next Monday, a key requirement for the UIS headquarters to begin its construction phase. If the schedule progresses as planned and work continues around the clock, the first modular buildings will be delivered to the Araucanian university community in June of this year.
Phase 1 involves an investment of $25,940,588,447, a figure that consolidates a historic commitment to the educational, social, and economic development of the department.
Education to transform the region
During the meeting, the governor of Arauca, Renson Martínez, insisted that the arrival of the UIS responds to a structural need in the region.
“It is the lack of access to higher education that causes backwardness and lack of development in the department of Arauca. Better quality education will improve institutions. In Arauca, unfortunately, there is a shortage of professionals, which is why we are indebted to the real potential of the territory,” said the governor.
In his speech, he expanded on his assessment: “We are convinced that one of the factors, if not the factor, that has most hindered development in the department over the last 40 years has been the lack of access to higher education in the region,” he stressed, explaining that this situation has impacted strategic sectors, competitiveness, and institutional capacity.
He also highlighted the proximity to communities and the relevance of the planned programs.
For Martínez, the link between the university and the region will enable the department to harness its “unlimited natural, social, and economic potential” through face-to-face programs, research, innovation, science, and technology.
The governor also highlighted the relationship built with the Santander institution: “A good, harmonious relationship has been established, understanding that the UIS has experience and tradition,” which has facilitated closeness with communities and the relevance of the planned programs.
A social commitment that transcends borders
The rector of the UIS, Hernán Porras, reiterated that the presence in Arauca responds to the University’s social mission. “We have a social commitment to the country. As the country develops, we all do well, and Arauca has a lot of potential. We feel like strategic allies in a win-win situation,” he said.
The establishment of the Saravena campus thus marks a new chapter in the regionalization of the university, expanding access to high-quality public education in areas historically affected by structural gaps.
Infraestructura modular para 1.900 estudiantes
El proyecto arquitectónico estará a cargo de la firma Fabián Camargo Arquitectos. El arquitecto Cristian Hernández explicó que se implementará un sistema de áreas modulares que permitirá dar inicio a la operación académica.
“Comprende un proyecto conformado por varios módulos en los que están distribuidos áreas administrativas, zonas de aulas de clases, zonas de aulas de cómputo, laboratorios, zonas de biblioteca y bienestar de salud mental y salud”, detalló.
La sede se integrará al complejo del Parque de la Vida en Saravena, articulándose con la proyección urbana del municipio. En esta primera etapa, la infraestructura tendrá capacidad para atender aproximadamente 1.900 estudiantes.
Modularity will enable progressive growth in line with academic demand and regional needs.
A feeling that becomes reality
For many Araucans, the arrival of the UIS represents a historic opportunity. “I am grateful as an Araucan. It fills me with happiness; you cannot imagine how I feel. It seems unbelievable that a university like the UIS, with its track record, has come to my department. I thank God and the UIS for their presence in the department. The feeling that my people in Arauca will have access to quality higher education moves me,” said Liliana Marchena Pinzón, Contracting Manager for the Arauca Governor’s Office.
Her words sum up the feelings of a department that for decades has faced limitations in access to higher education and today sees a concrete alternative for professional training materialize without the need to migrate to other regions.
The transfer of the property on a free loan basis is not just the start of a physical project. It is the starting point for a structural transformation that focuses on knowledge as a tool for closing gaps, strengthening institutions, and projecting Arauca toward a future with greater opportunities.
With this step, the UIS extends its presence beyond Santander and consolidates its role as a strategic ally for regional development. For Arauca, a new stage begins in which public higher education becomes an engine of change and hope.
In the first semester of 2026, the UIS expanded its offering to five programs in the territory with new majors: Construction Engineering, Veterinary Medicine, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Foreign Languages (with an emphasis on English), adding to the three already existing programs (Forestry Engineering, Agroindustrial Production, and Artificial Intelligence Engineering), allowing 180 more young people to begin their professional training in the Arauca region.
