The National University of Colombia - UN has been centre of the academic tradition in Colombia. With a history spanning 150 years, a staff of nearly 3000 professors, and over 53000 students (43000 undergraduate and 9000 graduate), it is the largest and most important university in the country. It is truly national, being present in four of the country´s main urban centres, as well as on four satellite campuses in some of the most remote areas of the country, ranging from the Caribbean to the Amazon. The university offers 450 academic programmes of which 95 are undergraduate, 65 Doctoral, 207 Master´s and 83 Specialization, those in all the knowledge fields (Arts, Agricultural Sciences, Basic and Earth Sciences, Engineering, Health Sciences, Human and Social Sciences, Sciences).

The UN is considered the first research institution in the country, as it has 24% of the research groups of excellence of Colombia, who develop their work in various fields of knowledge, the most representative: Agricultural Sciences (7%), Engineering (16%), Health Sciences /15%), Human and Social Sciences (29%), Sciences (30%).

It´s campus of excellence has 606 Laboratories addressed to Teaching, Research and Knowledge Transfer, 41.904 internet access points all over the campus, 6.780 computers for exclusive students use and 3.019 for professors, 1.688.519 volumes of total book collection, 90 access to international database in a very wide range of fields (ScienceDirect, PubMed, MedLine, ISI, IEEE/IET, Buss).

Research institutes most traditional of the University are:

Institute of Genetics. Make sustainable use of the genetic diversity based upon a technological and scientific multidisciplinary field

Institute of Environmental Research – IDEA. Contribute with the environment knowledge, sustainable use of its resources and solving environmental damage.

Institute of Political and International Studies – IEPRI. Carry out activities about teaching, research and out reach in the field of political analysis and international studies in order to size up the national and international current outlook.

Institute of Food Science and Technology – ICTA. Generate, spread and use the scientific and technologic knowledge about food in order to improve the Colombian quality of life.

Institute of Biotechnology – IBUN. Generate and spread interdisciplinary knowledge in the biotechnology for agro food production, environment and human health.

Institute of Communication & Cultural Studies – IECO. Strengthen a research network in order to respond to primary concerns of the University and the Nation, in the field of communication and the creation of a pluralist, democratic and accepting nation project.