Get to know the first 100% digital university that was born in Antioquia

Luc Williams

The barriers to accessing higher education in Colombia remain enormous. On the one hand there is coverage, especially in rural areas and remote territories; connectivity and, of course, financing. Developing a model that would allow us to overcome these obstacles is the great achievement of the Digital University Institution (IU Digital), created by the Government of Antioquia.

Today it is the first 100% digital public institution in the country that also offers open admission to all, thus fulfilling the goal of democratizing higher education. Its model, called Proximal Digitality, incorporates three main components: inclusive education, which welcomes high school graduates who have taken the Icfes; territorial approach, because it reaches all corners of the national geography thanks to the virtual commitment and humane treatment, understanding the student as an individual being and not collectively, based on their context and reality.

“We opened the doors of IU Digital in the second half of 2019 as soon as we received the registration of our first degree program, Software Development Technology. At that time we had 298 students. Today, in less than five years, we already have 10,500 students, 16 undergraduate and eight graduate academic programs.. Likewise, we offer zero enrollment for strata one, two and three,” explained Jasson De La Rosa, rector of the institution.

Innovation in higher education

IU Digital became a complement within the national educational system and a real opportunity for many people to train as professionals even if they do not have the resources. According to the director, among the main beneficiaries are raizal communities, mothers who are heads of households, victims of the conflict, people deprived of their liberty, indigenous people, peasant populations and people with disabilities, among others.

“The work has borne fruit, because not only do we have students in the 32 departments, we also impact people in countries such as Peru, Australia, Brazil and Hong Kong. Furthermore, today we have 1,400 graduates who work in their professions thanks to the employability program,” concluded De La Rosa.

This innovative educational strategy allowed IU Digital to receive recognition as one of the best experiences in the Higher Education Innovation Laboratory, a platform of the Ministry of Education, in an evaluation where it achieved 86 points out of one hundred.

About LUC WILLIAMS

Luc's expertise lies in assisting students from a myriad of disciplines to refine and enhance their thesis work with clarity and impact. His methodical approach and the knack for simplifying complex information make him an invaluable ally for any thesis writer.