Accreditations and Memberships

INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION FROM MERCOSUR

In 2006, UPSA was one of the first private universities to join the International Accreditation processes before MERCOSUR and was granted the international accreditation for the Industrial and I.T. Engineering degrees through the Mecanismo Experimental de Acreditación de Carreras - MEXA (Experimental Mechanism of Career Accreditations). In 2011 the process for Architecture was completed within the framework of the ARCU SUR - MERCOSUR System.

This new process of certification of university quality, combined to the processes of assessment and international accreditation developed by the University before CINDA, RLCU and MERCOSUR, reaffirms the philosophy of continuous improvement and academic excellence that identifies the Universidad Privada de Santa Cruz de la Sierra - UPSA.

VERIFICATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION QUALITY –IBRD (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development) (2003)

With the presentation of the self-assessment report which was prepared under the same criteria as the one presented for the certification as Fully Accredited University, the UPSA obtained accreditation in 2003. It allowed the incorporation of the observations made by our academic peers into the process of strategic planning and continuous improvement. The assessors of the Ministry of Education who took part in this process were: Mr. Marco Antonio Arellano Herboso, Mr. Eric Cárdenas del Castillo, Mr. Juan Carlos Guillen and Mrs. Miroslava Peña Quintanilla.

CERTIFICATION AS FULLY ACCREDITED UNIVERSITY CONFERED BY THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION OF BOLIVIA

In July 2001, UPSA was conferred the fully accredited university certification granted by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports as it is established by the General Regulations of Private Universities.

The external evaluation considered the fulfillment of eleven dimensions of university quality stipulated in the General Regulations of Private Universities of Bolivia. The external evaluation was overseen by the prestigious international academics Carlos Alberto Marquis and César Antonio Mercado Castro.

INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION UNDER THE RLCU CRITERIA (2012 - 2013)

UPSA completed the second institutional accreditation process before the Red Latinoamericana de Cooperación Universitaria - RLCU (Latin American University Cooperation Network) based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This organization brings together 28 universities from 12 Latin American countries and with which a fluid academic exchange is maintained.

The twelve evaluated areas were: institutional philosophy, planning and effectiveness, government and administration, curricula, academic staff, students, long distance learning, international programs, administration, academic support, facilities, financial resources and continuous improvement.

The first accreditation process prior to this network was carried out in 2001, four years after the first self-evaluation and external evaluation in order to obtain a new accreditation allowing the generation of new processes for continuous improvement and increase in international competitiveness.

INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATION UNDER THE CINDA CRITERIA (2012 - 2013)

In 2013, UPSA completed the accreditation process under the criteria of the Instituto Internacional para el Aseguramiento de la Calidad- IAC (International Institute for Quality Assurance) of the Centro Interuniversitario de Desarrollo - CINDA (Interuniversity Center for Development) an organization which is recognized by the UNESCO, and based in Chile.

The areas evaluated included institutional management, university teaching, management and governance, institutional functions, research, internationalization, extension and provision of services, institutional resources, among which are human resources, student support, educational, physical and financial resources, information and institutional development.

The first certification process before this entity was carried out in 1996 and the most important results were reflected in the preparation of the Strategic Plan UPSA 2002. The academic department which participated in the accreditation were Engineering, Architecture and Urbanism, Humanities and Communication.

Memberships

The UPSA has memberships to international organizations that link it to more than 2,000 universities in the world, in addition to other international affiliations that promote the reciprocal exchange of students and professors, as well as the joint execution of academic research and extension activities.

INTERNATIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

NATIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

ANUP
Asociación Nacional de Universidades Privadas de Bolivia (National Association of Private Universities of Bolivia)
AFCAB
Asociación de Facultades y Carreras de Arquitectura de Bolivia (Association of Architecture Faculties and Careers of Bolivia)
ABOCCS
Asociación Boliviana de Carreras de Comunicación (Faculties of Media Studies Association of Bolivia)