Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez (UAI) is a private, nonprofit institution legally incorporated in 1988. It was formed out of the Escuela de Negocios de Valparaíso (Valparaiso Business School) created in 1953 by the Adolfo Ibáñez Foundation, legacy of the businessman and public figure, Mr. Adolfo Ibáñez Boggiano.
Its primary mission is to provide an education based on personal responsibility and freedom, which enables its students to fully develop their intellectual and human potential. To achieve this, UAI has made a commitment to provide a professional education with high academic standards, to contribute to expanding the limits of knowledge through advanced research and to transfer this knowledge to benefit society.
UAI fulfills part of its mission through its undergraduate programs, which provide its students with a solid professional formation so they can further develop the capacity for critical reasoning and moral discernment provided by the liberal arts educational model. This latter aspect, unprecedented in Chile, gives UAI alumni a distinctive seal that enables them to occupy leadership positions in different spheres in both the public and private world.
The university offers continuing education programs (master’s degrees for professionals, graduate certificates and courses) which are recognized as among the best in the country and in Latin America.
UAI is also firmly committed to research. Over the last few years the university has developed a solid team of academics who conduct research of international excellence.
Community engagement activities are primarily concentrated on special programs with neighboring communities, supporting innovators, entrepreneurs, active participation and contribution to debate on matters of public interest and the so-called third mission.
In 2019, the university has a total of 7,661 students enrolled in 12 different undergraduate degree programs and 3,365 graduate students enrolled in 50 master’s and 7 doctoral degree programs. The university currently has three campuses in Chile and an additional site in Lima, Peru, where it offers graduate programs for professionals.
The Peñalolén, Viña del Mar and Las Condes campuses have a total surface area over 51,000 constructed square meters located on over 250 hectares of land.
In the 1940s, Adolfo Ibáñez Boggiano lay the foundations for Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez. His goal was to create a business school to train company leaders. In 1953 he created the original Valparaíso Business School under the direction of the Adolfo Ibáñez Foundation and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso.
For the purpose of educating independent professionals, conscious of their role in the country and with a sense of responsibility towards public affairs, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez was founded and authorized under Law 18.744 in 1988.
On May 1, 1996, the Faculty of Science and Technology was created. Later, under D.O. 2/2007, its name was changed to the Faculty of Engineering and Science on August 6, 2007. From its early days, all faculty efforts have been centered on consolidating it as an institution that generates an impact on society, offering excellent undergraduate and graduate education, undertaking world-class research on priority issues and transferring relevant knowledge and technology for the country.
To contribute to the development of new and better public policies, on October 1, 2001, the Pedro Ibáñez Ojeda School of Public Policy was created under D.O. 4/2001, and began operating in 2002.
On October 1, 2001, the School of Journalism was founded under D.O. 5/2001, with its main mission to contribute to the improvement of the quality of media communications and its professionals, encouraging innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.
To contribute to the development of people, groups and organizations, the School of Psychology was founded on November 5, 2001 under D.O. 6/2001.
Transcending national borders and developing a global outlook, the Business School began its MBA program for senior executives in Lima.
Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez is the first Latin American university to open a business school in the United States and offer an academic degree.
On December 3, 2007, the Faculty of Liberal Arts was created under decree 8/2007, motivated by the need to promote further development of the core curriculum and minors.
Created as an academic unit dependent on the Business School, the School of Design was founded on December 1, 2011, with its main mission to educate professionals capable of working collaboratively on the application of solutions in the area of science and entrepreneurship.
Under the direction of the Faculty of Liberal Arts, the CORE CURRICULUM program began for all undergraduate degree programs. Its primary goal is to promote a comprehensive understanding of reality in students, from the perspective of their specific field, giving them an understanding of modern-day society and helping them engage in an active and fully conscious civic life.
