University of the Republic (Uruguay)

The University of the Republic (Spanish: Universidad de la República, sometimes UdelaR) is a public research university in Montevideo, Uruguay. It is the oldest and largest university in the country, as well as the second largest public university in South America and the world's 57th largest by enrollment, with a student body of 137,757 undergraduate students in 2018 and 6,351 postgraduate students in 2012.
It was founded on 18 July 1849 in Montevideo, where most of its buildings and facilities are still located. Its current rector is Rodrigo Arim.
The process of founding the country's first public university began on 11 June 1833, when a law proposed by then-Senator Dámaso Antonio Larrañaga was passed. It called for the creation of nine academic departments; the President of the Republic would pass a decree formally creating the departments once the majority of them were in operation. In 1836 the House of General Studies was formed, housing the departments of Latin, philosophy, mathematics, theology and jurisprudence.
On 27 May 1838, Manuel Oribe passed a decree through which created the Greater University of the Republic. That decree had few practical effects, given the institutional instability of the Oriental Republic of the Uruguay at that time.
In 2011, according to University Ranking by Academic Performance, it is the best university in Uruguay and 858th best university in the world. In 2025, according to QS World University Rankings, it ranked #661-670 worldwide.
The University of the Republic Law School was established on June 18, 1838, as the Academy of Jurisprudence, making it the oldest law school in the nation. It became a branch of the University of the Republic on July 18, 1849. It is the only branch of the university that hasn't moved from the main building in Cordón, Montevideo. It was the only law school in Uruguay until the arrival of the Catholic University of Uruguay in 1984.
Many Presidents of Uruguay, senators, representatives and other public authorities with a law degree have graduated from this law school. Notable professors include Jorge Gamarra, Alejandro Abal, Alberto Perez Perez, Dora Bagdassarian, Helios Sarthou, Carlos Delpiazzo, Gonzalo Fernández, and Daniel Ferrere.
The Dean is Dr. Gonzalo A. Lorenzo Idiarte. Its main executive organ is the Law School Council, integrated by the dean and members in representation of students, former students and professors.
The university has its own hospital in Montevideo, Hospital de Clínicas “Dr. Manuel Quintela”.
In an effort to decentralize higher education, the university has opened schools in cities other than Montevideo. Its Regional Norte in Salto offers degrees in Architecture, Law and Nursing. Fragments of other degrees, which can be completed in Montevideo, are also offered there. At the Casa Universitaria in Rivera, the Faculty of Sciences offers the Technicature in Management of Environmental Resources, which has a duration of two and a half years.
The University of the Republic School of Engineering offers certain courses in collaboration with UTU and Technical University of Uruguay [es] in order to increase penetration of these orientations outside of the capital city. Currently the only course being offered in this manner is Informatics Technologist.