The Andrés Bello National University (UNAB) was created in 1988 and is spread across three campuses in three areas: Santiago, the capital of Chile, the coastal city of Viña del Mar and the southern city of Concepción.
UNAB was the first non-traditional private university in Chile to receive accreditation in research, it is also renowned for its accredited doctoral and health sciences programmes, medical school and Millennium Research Centre.
Students can choose to study undergraduate and graduate degrees in architecture and design, business administration, communication, ecology and natural resources, education, engineering and information technology, health sciences, hospitality, human sciences, law and maritime studies. There are health, legal, dental and psychology clinics for all affiliated staff and students.
The Marine Research Centre at UNAB (based in Quintay) is Chile’s leading provider of sea urchin seeds, which are collected to grow in captivity with the potential of selling these services to the private sector. Experts say this industry could become an equivalent to salmon farming in its success levels.
It is a member of the Laureate International Universities group, the largest global network of private degree-granting higher education institutions. 2017 figures suggest that the student body is made up 36,000 undergraduates, 2,600 graduate students and 3,000 faculty members.
UNAB leads and organises several social responsibility schemes including the UN Global Impact Executive Office and the Centre for Sustainability. It is part of the YouthActionNet Chile programme which, in collaboration with the International Youth Foundation, identifies and supports accomplished social entrepreneurs from the ages of 18 to 29 in Chile.
