The educational transformation of Catatumbo continues to make steady progress. During an interinstitutional meeting held at the headquarters of the Administrative Department of the Presidency of the Republic (DAPRE) in Bogotá, representatives of the National Government, regional authorities, and the Universidad Industrial de Santander (UIS) advanced the final arrangements for the handover and operational launch of the Catatumbo Higher Education Complex, a strategic infrastructure project that will support the future National University of Catatumbo.
The meeting brought together delegates from Fondo Paz, the Territorial Renewal Agency (ART), the Ministry of National Education, the Government of Norte de Santander, the Mayor’s Office of El Tarra, and the Universidad Industrial de Santander. The gathering reflected a coordinated institutional effort aimed at ensuring the beginning of a new chapter for higher education in one of the regions most affected by armed conflict and historical state neglect.
The central focus of the meeting was the coordination of the handover and reception process for the infrastructure built in El Tarra. The project is now in its final phase and represents one of the National Government’s most significant initiatives to strengthen the State’s presence in the territories through education.
More than a group of buildings, the Catatumbo Higher Education Complex symbolizes an opportunity for thousands of young people who, for decades, have faced barriers to accessing university education without leaving their municipalities. The initiative seeks to make education a catalyst for social transformation, economic development, and peacebuilding throughout the region.
UIS, a partner in expanding educational opportunities
The Universidad Industrial de Santander participated in the meeting through Jorge Villamizar Morales, UIS Territorial Manager and institutional delegate to the Interinstitutional Monitoring Committee responsible for overseeing the infrastructure handover process. His participation reaffirmed UIS’s commitment to expanding high-quality public higher education to the country’s most remote regions.
UIS’s involvement in this process reflects the leadership the institution has established in educational regionalization, contributing its academic and administrative expertise to strengthen initiatives that expand professional training opportunities in historically underserved territories.
“We are reaching the territories where public higher education is needed most. This project represents the possibility for hundreds of young people in Catatumbo to build their life plans without leaving their region, while also contributing to the territory’s development and social transformation,” said Jorge Villamizar.
Education for peace and regional development
The meeting was also attended by El Tarra Mayor Eyder Robles Ortiz and delegates from the Government of Norte de Santander, who agreed on the importance of accelerating the necessary processes to ensure the start of operations of this educational facility, which is expected to become a benchmark for training future generations in northeastern Colombia.
The construction of the Catatumbo Higher Education Complex is part of the national strategy for territorial peacebuilding, recognizing education as one of the fundamental pillars for closing social gaps, creating opportunities, and strengthening community ties in regions that have long been affected by violence.
With this progress, UIS reaffirms its commitment to nation-building from the regions and to democratizing access to knowledge. The upcoming launch of the Catatumbo Higher Education Complex will not only expand educational coverage in Norte de Santander but will also mark a historic milestone for a region that now sees education as a genuine pathway toward development, inclusion, and peace.
The arrival of high-quality public higher education in Catatumbo is no longer a promise; it is a reality that is beginning to take shape in El Tarra and opening a new chapter for the future of the region.
