Universidad San Francisco de Quito
Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ (informally Universidad San Francisco, or simply USFQ) is a liberal-arts, private university located in Quito, Ecuador. It was the first totally private self-financed university in Ecuador and the first liberal-arts institution in the Andean region. Academically, USFQ ranks as one of the three-top universities (category A) in the ranking of Ecuadorian universities (being the only totally private university to qualify for the highest category), issued by the Ecuadorian Council of Evaluation and Accreditation of High Education (). In 2009, it was ranked first in Ecuador in  relation to the number of peer-reviewed scientific publications. The university now enrolls 5,500 students, 4,500 of whom are undergraduates. The university each year has about 100 indigenous students and 1,000 international students participate in USFQ academic programs. USFQ has developed a scholarship program for indigenous students, offering full scholarships to the best students of public high schools throughout Ecuador. Although USFQ receives no funding from the government of Ecuador, its faculty comprises one-half of all the people in that nation who hold a doctorate. The main campus of USFQ is located in Cumbayá, outside of Quito (capital city  of Ecuador), where students use a library, education and research laboratories, classrooms, and seven restaurants. USFQ is the only university in the world that owns a campus in the Galapagos Islands, and a campus in the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve (Tiputini Biodiversity Station), one of Earth's most biodiverse areas. History. Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ was founded in 1988 by the "Corporación de Promoción Universitaria", its umbrella non-profit foundation. It was the first totally private self-financed university in Ecuador. It was named after the city of Quito: San Francisco de Quito, in response to the need of  a private higher-education institution in Ecuador. It was recognized by the Ministry of Education and Culture of Ecuador in October 1995 and accredited by CONESUP in May 2001. Establishment of the "Corporación de Promoción Universitaria". In 1980, a group of Ecuadorian and international intellectuals and businesspeople, under the leadership of Santiago Gangotena González, established the non-profit "Corporación de Promoción Universitaria", with the mission to create a private Ecuadorian university. The corporation was legalized by the Ministry of Education and Culture of Ecuador in June 1985 (published in the Official Registry of the Ecuadorian Government in 28 de June  1985). Foundation of the University. After eight years of planning and promotion, the first class of USFQ students started on September 1, 1988, in a manor located on the 12 de Octubre Ave. 1983 and Salazar St.,in the northern area of Quito, with 130 students. The university was recognized by the Ecuadorian government on October 18, 1995, under Executive Decree 3166, published in the Official Registry 809 on October 25, 1995. The statutes of the university were approved by the National Council of High Education CONESUP on May 18, 2001. Creation of the colleges. USFQ is divided among academic  colleges (faculties). In 1988, students were distributed among three academic colleges: "Colegio de Administración para el Desarrollo" for business studies, "Colegio de Ciencias Aplicadas" for applied sciences, and "Colegio de Comunicación y Cultura" for communication, arts and cultural studies. In 1990, USFQ started the "Colegio de Ciencias Ambientales" for environmental sciences. In 1992, six colleges were established: "Colegio de Administración para el Desarrollo", "Colegio de Comunicación y Artes", "Colegio de Ciencias Ambientales", "Colegio de Ciencias Aplicadas", "Colegio de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades", y "Colegio de Lenguas". Subsequently, in 1993, the "Colegio de Arquitectura" started, followed in 1994 by the "Colegio  de Agricultura" and the "Colegio de Ciencias de la Salud". In 1997, the "Colegio de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades" changed its name to "Colegio de Artes Liberales". Colleges of the university. By 2017, USFQ is divided in 15 academic colleges and institutes spread across three campuses across Ecuador (Cumbayá-Quito, Tiputini Biodiversity Station, and the Galápagos Islands): Traditions. The university has developed traditions, including: Degrees. USFQ offers undergraduate degrees (Bachelor of Arts/BA, Bachelor of Science/BS), professional degrees (Architect, Lawyer, Engineer), and postgraduate degrees (Master's and Trainings).