# Duoc UC

Duoc UC is an accredited, non-profit private institute of higher education in Chile. It was founded under the umbrella of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in 1968, which provides technical and professional degrees through practical and industry-focused programs.
Nowadays it has 20 campuses, more than 103,000 students and ca. 3,169 teachers. Its rector is Carlos Díaz Vergara.

## History

Duoc UC was founded in 1968 under the name "Worker Farmer University Department of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile" (Departamento Universitario Obrero Campesino de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile) to give free education to students from lower social backgrounds, children of workers and farmers in particular. This practice was already being conducted by the University of Chile and especially the State Technical University (UTE), which was immersed in the era of university reform university classrooms opened to workers and low-income students who could study technical courses at universities despite economic shortcomings.
Duoc grew rapidly and a year after its foundation it already had one campus and 475 students. The following year, the campuses tripled, and the number of students grew to 3,033. In 1972 Duoc UC already had 30,000 students enrolled in its courses and programs. The growth achieved in its early years prompted the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile to give legal autonomy and management, approving the creation of the Duoc Foundation, on 7 September 1973.

## Locations

The institution's schools are present in 5 of the 16 Regions of Chile (2023).
The patrimonial and university extension building of Santiago can also be seen virtually.
| Region | Campus |
| Santiago Metropolitan Region | Campus Alameda |
| | Campus Antonio Varas |
| | Campus Educación Continua |
| | Campus Maipú |
| | Campus Melipilla |
| | Campus Padre Alonso de Ovalle |
| | Campus Plaza Norte |
| | Campus Plaza Oeste |
| | Campus Plaza Vespucio |
| | Campus Puente Alto |
| | Campus San Bernardo |
| | Campus San Carlos de Apoquindo |
| | Campus San Joaquín |
| Valparaíso Region | Campus Valparaíso |
| | Campus Viña del Mar |
| Biobío Region | Campus San Andrés de Concepción |
| | Campus Arauco |
| | Campus Nacimiento |
| Araucanía Region | Campus Villarrica |
| Los Lagos Region | Campus Puerto Montt |

## Schools and programs

Currently, DuocUC has 9 schools distributed over 20 campuses (2023) where Professional and Technical level careers are taught:
* School of Administration and Business
* School of Communication
* School of Construction
* School of Design
* School of Gastronomy
* School of Informatics and Telecommunications
* School of Engineering and Natural Resources
* School of Health
* School of Tourism and Hospitality
| School | Professional Career | Technical Career |
| School of Business and Administration | Digital Marketing Engineering | Administration Technician |
| | Logistics Management Engineering | Logistics Management Technician |
| | Foreign Trade Engineering | Foreign Trade Technician |
| | Administration Engineering, mention in People Management | People Management Technician |
| | Administration Engineering, mention in Finance | Finance Technician |
| | Auditing | General Accounting, mention in Tax Legislation |
| School of Communication | Sound Engineering | Sound Technician |
| | Audiovisual Communication | Audiovisual Technician |
| | Advertising | |
| | Public Relations, mention in Marketing | |
| | Digital Animation | |
| | Acting and Performance | |
| School of Construction | Risk Prevention Engineering | Risk Prevention Technician |
| | Construction Engineering | Construction Technician |
| | | Electrical Facilities and Projects Technician |
| | | Topographer Technician |
| | | Restoration of Patrimonial Goods |
| | | Architectural and Structural Drawing and Modeling |
| School of Design | Industrial Design | Illustration |
| | Graphic Design | Development and Web Design |
| | Interior Design | |
| | Fashion Design | |
| School of Gastronomy | Administration in International Gastronomy | Gastronomy Technician |
| School of Computer Science and Telecommunications | Infrastructure and Technological Platforms Engineering | Infrastructure and Technological Platforms Administration |
| | Informatics Engineering | Computer Analyst-Programmer |
| | Connectivity and Network Engineering | Network and Telecommunications Administration |
| School of Engineering and Natural Resources | Automotive Mechanical and Autotronics Engineering | Automotive Mechanical and Autotronics Technician |
| | Machinery and Heavy-Duty Vehicles Engineering | Machinery and Heavy-Duty Vehicles Technician |
| | Electricity and Industrial Automation Engineering | Electricity and Industrial Automation Technician |
| | Environmental Engineering | Renewable Energies Technician |
| | Agricultural Engineering | Agricultural Technician |
| | | Electromechanical Maintenance Technician |
| | | Geology and Probing Control Technician |
| | | Veterinary and Livestock Technician |
| | | Food Quality Technician |
| School of Health | Biomedical Informatics | Clinical Laboratory and Blood Bank Technician |
| | | Chemistry and Pharmacy Technician |
| | | Dental Technician |
| | | Nursing Technician |
| | | Radiodiagnosis and Radiotherapy Technician |
| | | Physical Preparation Technician |
| School of Tourism and Hotel Management | Turism and Hotel Industry | Hotel Management Technician |
| | Ecoturism | Adventure Tourism Technician |
| | Tourism & Hospitality | Tourism Technician, mention in Tourism Companies |

### Specialization and continuing education

Through the specialization programs, people and companies can opt for different courses, diplomas and also study plans, transforming them into complete study plans that allow the student to articulate and validate careers of the institution or also to focus them on their professional development.

### Extension and Branches UC

See the main list with hyperlinks available in: Duoc UC on spanish wikipedia.
| Focus Area | Divisions and Extension Centers |
| Technical Secondary Education | Liceo Bicentenario Politécnico -Andes Polytechnic High School- (Foundation Subsidiary) |
| Diploma and specialization | Educación Continua DuocUC |
| R&D | CITT DuocUC: Innovation and Technology Transfer Center |
| R&D | Centro Innova |
| R&D | IA Applied Investigation |
| R&D | DDF Duoc Design Factory |
| Sports | DuocUC Sports |
| Culture & Arts | DuocUC Theater |
| Diploma and specialization | DuocUC Observatory |
| Communications | SOMOS Magazine |
| Communications | EscomTV |
| Employment | Duoc Laboral.cl |
| Comunicaciones | School of Communication Radios: AE Radio |
| Diploma and specialization | Teacher Training Center |
| R&D | Technology Centers for Engineering and Natural Resources |
| Culture & Arts | Extension Center: Cousiño Building (Valparaíso) |
| Culture & Arts | Extension Center: Íñiguez Palace (Santiago) |
| Communications | La Cantera Producer |
| Diploma and specialization | Center for the Regularization of Basic and High School Studies for Adults (Inactive) |

## International Networks

Duoc UC is an important actor within the Professional Technical field at a global and national level, being part of important international networks, thus providing opportunities for development and professional improvement to our students and foreign students:

### Membership in International Networks

* World federation of colleges and polytechnics
* International Association of Universities and Colleges of Art Media and Design Archived 2 December 2015 at the Wayback Machine
* International Council of Design
* International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (WDO)
* Audio Engineering Society
* Global University Network for Innovation
* Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management
* International Medical Informatics Association
* The Broadcast Education Association
* Inter-American Centre for Knowledge Development in Vocational Training
* SUNY COIL Network
* Design Factory Global Network

### International Accreditation

The School of Design became accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) in 2015
In 2015 the English Program at Duoc UC achieved the Oxford Quality Gold Category from Oxford University Press
In 2012 our Biomedical Computing program received internacional accreditation by the International Medical Informatics Association.

### Collaborative Projects

Design Factory Duoc UC Design Factory is a Space of Collaborative Innovation based on the Design Factory model from the Aalto University in Finland. This center encourages the students' training and creativity as the fundamental component of the skills to innovate.
The Design Factory Global Network (DFGN) currently operates in eleven institutions of higher education around the world. The objective of this network and its partner members is to be the leader in international university collaboration, beyond academic boundaries.

## Institutional bond

* Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
* Archbishop of Santiago
* Annexed to Pontifical University, Holy See, Vatican State

## Notable alumni

* María Elena Swett, Chilean actress.
* Patricio "Pato" Escala Pierart, Chilean animator and film producer.
* Fernanda Urrejola, Chilean actress.
* Christiane Endler, Chilean footballer.