The University of the Valley of Guatemala (UVG) was founded in 1966 by the Association of the American College of Guatemala. It is a leading university in the development of technology and high quality research.
When the university was first established it had one central campus in Guatemala, but it has since expanded. In 1995 it opened a second campus in Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa, a town in the city of Escuintla. Another campus was opened in 1996 in the city of Sololá, western Guatemala.
The university has four faculties, which include engineering, education, social studies, and sciences and humanities. There are more than 70 undergraduate courses available and 20 graduate programmes for students to study.
Student life is an important part of the university. Throughout the year UVG hosts cultural weeks, concerts, and organised workshops for students to enjoy. There are also a number of student associations and clubs that meet a range of interests, whether that’s art, culture, leadership or sport. There are clubs for basketball, jazz, and theatre to name just a few.
Another important part of UVG is its Research Institute which was established in 1977. It now boasts 11 study centres that collaborate with different departments of the university, and 21 specialised laboratories. Students are given the opportunity to use the university’s state-of-the-art facilities to participate in research projects. The university’s Research Institute produces the highest rate of scientific research of all private universities in Central America. It is therefore awarded half of the country’s research funds.
