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District University of Bogota
The Francisco Jose de Caldas District University , or just called La Distrital, is a public, coeducational, research university based Bogota, Colombia. It is the second most important public higher education institution in the city, after the National University of Colombia, with a population of 26,140 students. It was founded in 1948, by Priest Daniel de Caicedo, who would become its first rector, with the support of the Bogota City Council, as the Municipal University of Bogota . It changed its name to the current in 1957 when the municipality of Bogota became a district. Its establishment was officialized by the decree No. 1030 of 1970, issued by the national government. The university offers 70 programs at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including 4 master and 1 doctorates.
The university is member of the Association of Colombian Universities (ASCUN), the Iberoamerican Association of Postgraduate Universities (AUIP), and the Iberoamerican University Network Universia.
History
The Francisco Jose de Caldas District University was founded in 1948, on initiative of the priest Daniel de Caicedo, who was its first principal. The foundation act of the "Universidad Municipal de Bogota" (as it was originally named) stated that it was a university created by the Bogota City Council to give education to the poorest young men of the city.
Another fundamental characteristic of the University is that its programs were chosen so that they could bring solutions to the problems of the city. Hence, the first program to be created was Radiotechnology, which in time became the Electronics Engineering program. The other program was Topography which still exists and in time gave birth to the Cadastral Engineering program. Another program was dedicated to the care and conservation of the environment, later named Forest Engineering.
The first University building was located where today stands the Museo de Desarrollo Urbano (Urban Development Museum) in the Calle 10th with Carrera 8th, in front of the Palacio Lievano (Lievano Palace) and the Capitolio Nacional (National Capitol).
In the year 1957, the city of Bogota became the "Distrito Especial" (Special District) and the University was then named "Universidad Distrital Francisco Jose de Caldas" after the first Colombian scientist Francisco Jose de Caldas.
In the 1970s the departments of Physics and Chemistry were created, and the University increased its student population. In 1979 due to political and organizational difficulties, the University was closed for two years and reopened, totally renewed with a newly constructed campus, in the neighborhood La Macarena.
Between the years 1993 and 1994, technological programs arose, The Engineering programs gained strength and the Environment and Natural Resources programs were created, which have opened the University towards society and rest of the academic world.
Nowadays the University sees itself as the higher education institution serving the Capital District and the Central Region of the country.
Campus
It is constituted by buildings and campus around the Bogota city
Science and Education Campus Formerly named 'La Macarena'
Faculty of Engineering - Sabio Caldas Building
Alejandro Suarez Copete Building
Technological Faculty Campus
Faculty of Art - ASAB Campus
Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources campus.
Academics
Faculty of Engineering
Faculty of Science and Education
Environment Faculty
Faculty of Art - ASAB
Technological Faculty
Language Institute -ILUD
Accreditation Committee
Educational Study and Research Institute
See also
List of universities in Colombia
External links
Francisco Jose de Caldas District University official website
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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article District University of Bogota
