The Universidad Católica de Manizas (UCM) was founded on February 11, 1954, by the Congregación de las Hermanas de la Caridad Dominicas de la Presentación de la Santísima Virgen, under the generalate was headed by Mother Thérèse Augusta and the provincial superior of the Province of Medellin was Mother Thérèse des Anges.
The geographic location where UCM has been operating corresponds to the country residence of the Sisters of the Colegio de la Presentación, corresponding to the current address carrera 23 #60-63, Barrio La Estrella.
The university campus of the IES Universidad Católica de Manizales is made up of 6 properties totaling 55,369.14 square meters. and has a physical infrastructure represented in 24,176 square meters distributed in 14 buildings.
First students
The founder and first rector was Sister Matilde Robledo Uribe (Sister María de la Santísima Trinidad). Supported by the society of Manizales, the civil authorities and Archbishop Luis Concha Córdoba, Sister Matilde set out to provide higher education for the women of Manizales society.
UCM was initially called Universidad Católica Femenina with a total of 56 students. Subsequently, the institution was called Colegio Mayor de Caldas, until 1978, when the Ministry of National Education, with the authorization of the ICFES, approved the reform of statutes and the change of name to Universidad Católica de Manizales.
In 1982 UCM, in order to comply with Decree 080 of 1980 of the Ministry of National Education, changed its name again to Corporación Universidad Católica de Manizales.
The first sisters who headed the UCM were the superior Mere Abel and Matilde Robledo Uribe (María de la Santísima Trinidad); Laura Espinosa (Eugenio de Jesús); Sofía Molano (San Ramón de la Cruz); Bertha Uribe Noguera (Cecilia de la Santa Faz); Luz María Hernández (Josefina del Niño Jesús), and Josefina Núñez Gómez (Genoveva).
Academic programs in UCM history
Over the years, UCM has developed undergraduate and graduate academic programs in Education, Health Sciences, Microbiology, Social Sciences, Humanities, Theology, Engineering, Architecture and Administration. .
Undergraduate: Bacteriology, Speech Therapy, Nutrition and Dietetics, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Respiratory Therapy, Architecture, Urban Planning and Construction, Advertising, Tourism Business Administration, Educational Administration, Guidance and Counseling, Religious Sciences, Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Physics, Bachelor of Science in Natural Sciences and Environmental Education, Bachelor of Science in Technology and Computer Science, Bachelor of Science in Religious Education, Administrative Engineering, Engineering in Sanitation and Environmental Development, Telematics Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Environmental Engineering and Applied Computer Technology.
At postgraduate level: Specializations in: Clinical Laboratory in Hematology and Blood Bank, Microbiology, Industrial Microbiology, Health Administration, Oral and Literate Language Disorders and Audiology, Personalized Education, Branding and Strategic Communication, Pedagogical Evaluation, Quality Management, Land Project Management and Real Estate Valuation, Educational Management, Disaster Prevention, Reduction and Attention, Safety and Health at Work.
Masters in Education, Global Changes and Disaster Risks, Ecoengineering, Didactics of Basic Sciences, Educational Knowledge Management, Humanities and Theology, Memory and Transitional Scenarios, Agroindustrial Microbiology, Pedagogy and Remote Sensing.
Doctorate in Education in agreement with the University of Salamanca.
Throughout its history, UCM has been concerned with fostering the integral formation of the individual, promoting and contributing to the development of science through Teaching, Research and Extension and Social Projection.
Evolution of UCM
UCM Rector's Offices
1954: Hna. Matilde Robledo Uribe
1976: Hna. Lilia Galvez Naranjo
1957: Hna. Bertha Uribe Noguera
1976: Hna. Lilia Galvez Naranjo
1981: Hna. Bertha Uribe Noguera
1983: Hna. Mabel Jaramillo Restrepo
1996: Hna. Judith León Guevara
2000: Hna. Gloria del Carmen Torres Bustamante
2004: Pbro. Octavio Barrientos Gómez
2012: Hna. Gloria del Carmen Torres Bustamante
2016: Hna. Elizabeth Caicedo Caicedo
2020: Hna. Elizabeth Caicedo Caicedo