Universidad Católica de Costa Rica

The Universidad Católica de Costa Rica (Catholic University of Costa Rica) is the official higher-education institution of the Conferencia Episcopal de Costa Rica (Episcopal Conference of Costa Rica). It was founded in 1993 under the full name Universidad Católica de Costa Rica Anselmo Llorente y Lafuente, honouring the first Bishop of Costa Rica, who promoted the formation of priests and founded the country's first seminary. The university was established on the basis of the already existing Instituto Pedagógico de Religión, a higher-education centre dedicated to training teachers of religious education. The institution is headquartered in Moravia, in San José province, and operates five campuses across the country: Moravia (central campus), San Carlos (Ciudad Quesada, Alajuela), Ciudad Neily (Zona Sur, Puntarenas), Pérez Zeledón (Zona Sur, San José) and Nicoya (Guanacaste). Its motto is Veritatem Quaerentes in Charitate Christi (Seekers of truth in the charity of Christ). Academically, the university offers programmes in Philosophy and Humanities, Theology, Psychology, Business Administration, Systems Engineering and Pedagogy. It is organised through three General Directorates — Administrative, Academic and Student Life — and also has a Chaplaincy and University Pastoral service as well as a Research Unit. As a Catholic university, it combines professional training with a confessional identity rooted in the teachings of the Catholic Church. The Universidad Católica de Costa Rica is a private, non-profit higher-education institution owned and governed by the Episcopal Conference of Costa Rica. It is not listed on any stock exchange. Its historical roots connect it to Costa Rica's earlier Catholic university tradition, beginning with the Universidad de Santo Tomás (created in 1843 and closed in 1888), and it represents the return of an official Catholic university to the country after the founding of the Universidad de Costa Rica in 1941.

The Universidad Católica de Costa Rica is the official higher-education institution of the Conferencia Episcopal de Costa Rica (Episcopal Conference of Costa Rica). It was founded in 1993 under the name Universidad Católica de Costa Rica Anselmo Llorente y Lafuente, in honour of the first Bishop of Costa Rica, who promoted the formation of priests and founded the country's first seminary. The university was established on the basis of the already existing Instituto Pedagógico de Religión, a higher-education centre dedicated to training teachers of religious education. The institution's roots reach back to Costa Rica's first Catholic-oriented university, the Universidad de Santo Tomás, created in 1843 by decree 11 of the government of José María Alfaro Zamora. That university was established on the basis of the pre-existing Casa de Enseñanza de Santo Tomás, founded in 1814 by the Diocesan Bishop of Costa Rica and Nicaragua, Nicolás García Jerez. In 1888, Secretary of State Mauro Fernández Acuña decided to close the Universidad de Santo Tomás, considering it more important to strengthen secondary education before focusing on university training. It was not until 1941 that Costa Rica again had a centre of this nature, with the creation of the Universidad de Costa Rica. However, it was only in 1993 that the Episcopal Conference of Costa Rica established an official Catholic university in the country. Today the university has five campuses: Moravia (central campus, San José), San Carlos (Ciudad Quesada, Alajuela), Ciudad Neily (Zona Sur, Puntarenas), Pérez Zeledón (Zona Sur, San José) and Nicoya (Guanacaste). It offers programmes in Philosophy and Humanities, Theology, Psychology, Business Administration, Systems Engineering and Pedagogy. The university is organised through three General Directorates — Administrative, Academic and Student Life — and also has a Chaplaincy and University Pastoral service and a Research Unit. Its motto is Veritatem Quaerentes in Charitate Christi (Seekers of truth in the charity of Christ).

• 1993

  Universidad Católica de Costa Rica Anselmo Llorente y Lafuente founded by the Conferencia Episcopal de Costa Rica on the basis of the Instituto Pedagógico de Religión.

• 1941

  Universidad de Costa Rica founded, restoring university-level studies in the country.

• 1888

  Secretary of State Mauro Fernández Acuña closes the Universidad de Santo Tomás to prioritise secondary education.

• 1843

  Universidad de Santo Tomás created by decree 11 of the government of José María Alfaro Zamora, the first Catholic-oriented university in Costa Rica.

• 1814

  Casa de Enseñanza de Santo Tomás founded by Bishop Nicolás García Jerez, the predecessor institution of Costa Rica's Catholic university tradition.

Official Catholic university of Costa Rica, combining confessional identity with professional higher education across five national campuses.

• Philosophy and Humanities

• Theology

• Psychology

• Business Administration

• Systems Engineering

• Pedagogy

1. 1Universidad Católica de Costa Rica — official websiteucatolica.ac.cr
2. 2Universidad Católica de Costa Rica — Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Universidad Católica de Costa Rica — Wikipedia (Spanish)es.wikipedia.org