Brief History

Besides

• Greeting of the Rector
• Brief History
• Vision and Mission
• Educational Model
• Research
• Extension/Outreach Programs
• Services

The Universidad Católica de Temuco works for a wholesome development of its students and the community in southern Chile: It seeks freely the truth in order to discover the authentic human and social reality, thus contributing to the dialogue among sciences, techniques, culture and faith. It contributes to the education and development of individuals who will be socially responsible, visionary, entrepreneurial and democratic, in the arts, humanities, sciences and techniques; individuals who will be able to efficiently and critically integrate themselves in the global working world.

It creates and adapts high impact knowledge applied to regional problems, which can be repeated at a national level and which contribute to a sustainable human development. It creatively interacts with its cultural environment promoting and facilitating the interethnic, intercultural and ecumenical dialogue. It takes on the action plan, the missionary criteria and the pastoral priorities of the diocesan church.

Regional Context

The Ninth Region is located in the south-center zone of the country, where there are special natural attractions like volcanoes, lakes, native vegetation, wetlands, and a great biodiversity. Its peculiar social and cultural configuration responds to the presence of the Mapuche native population, Chilean and foreign settlers, thus creating a pluri-ethnic and multicultural population; all these aspects are considered in the topics the university deals with. Being the Araucania Region a land of contrasts and of great natural resources, the most promissory productive activities are tourism, cattle breeding, aquaculture, and agro-industry sectors. These constitute great challenges that the university considers opportunities for its work. Concerning the education sector, the region -particularly Temuco- has become an important university center in the southern part of the country with more than 20 thousand students in both public and private universities.