The Sapiens Research academic firm revealed the results of its semiannual U-Sapiens ranking in which it presents the best universities in Colombia. The report was published on April 30, 2025 and measures several factors to classify these institutions as the best, between their production and their research impact. In the edition corresponding to the first semester of 2025, the firm analyzed in total 367 public and private institutions, of which only 71 will be able to classify the criteria established by the consulting firm’s methodology and 25 managed to be within the main ranking.
In this edition, the only methodological change was in the postgraduate variable, Since the categorization of research groups will only have definitive results from July 2025 and could not be analyzed in accordance with the results of the institutions in the first semester. Compared to the results of 2024, one of the universities that descended in the ranking of the consultant was the university of the Andes, while the University of the Valle improved its position and was located in the Top 3. The evaluation methodology used by Sapiens Research is based on three main variables:
- Number of indexed magazines in recognized bases.
- Number of active teachers and doctorates offered by the institution to evaluate
- Number of research groups categorized by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.
Likewise, the academic firm does not foresee a new call for short -term scientific journals, which indicates that there will be no alterations in this ranking before the year 2026as explained by the consultant.
Public universities leading the ranking
The first place was again occupied by the National University of Colombia, Bogotá headquarters, with a score of 149, which according to the ranking is due to its forte in the research field. This is followed by the University of Antioquia, based in Medellín, which obtained a score of 127. Both institutions have been occupying the first two places for more than 14 years, as stated in the sample.
“The National University of Colombia-Bogotá and the University of Antioquia are still immovable for more than 14 years, in positions #1 and #2, respectively. The University of Valle returns to position #3 going down to the University of Los Andes. Go to position #9 the University of the North -Barranquilla, going down to #10 to the University of the Rosario. Upload the University of Cartagena to #15, causing the District University to go to #16. The military University and the EAFIT rise to positions #17 and #18, which went down to the IES Forest and Santo Tomás at #19 and #20, respectively, ”reads the statement.
As explained by the article, the third public university that leads the ranking is the University of the Valley, located in Caliwhich returned to this place after being displaced in other years by other institutions. On this occasion, the institution achieved a score of 79 and this allowed him to overcome the University of the Andes, which descended to fourth place, despite having the same score. As explained by the consultant, which makes one predominate above the other is the impact rate, subscript calculated from the proportion between the number of indexed magazines, active postgraduate programs and research groups, main categories that evaluates Sapiens Research. Punctually, the difference in the rate is 4.29%.
AFP
Private universities also take place in the ranking
The fifth place was occupied by the Pontifical Javeriana University, also based in Bogotá, with a score of 71. In the sixth place is the Medellín headquarters of the National University, with 52 points, followed by the Industrial University of Santander (UIS), Located in Bucaramanga, which obtained the same score. Its descent is explained with the same thing that happened with the University of the Andes, the difference in the subscript of the impact rate as represented in the list.
The University of the North, based in Barranquilla, rose to the ninth position, displacing the tenth to the University of the Rosario. Similarly, the University of Cartagena managed to advance to box number 15, While the Francisco José de Caldas District University fell to position 16. Other universities such as the Nueva Granada and Eafit military also climbed, as they reached 17 and 18 respectively. In the case of the University of Córdoba, based in Montería, this improved five positions if compared to the previous edition. Others with these advances are: Francisco de Paula Santander University, Simón Bolívar University and the Caribbean Autonomous University.
Sapiens Research
Complete list of the 25 best universities in Colombia
- National University of Colombia (Bogotá)
- University of Antioquia (Medellín)
- Universidad del Valle (Cali)
- University of Los Andes (Bogotá)
- Javeriana University (Bogotá)
- National University of Colombia (Medellín)
- Industrial University of Santander (Bucaramanga)
- Bolivarian Pontifical University (Medellín)
- North University (Barranquilla)
- Universidad del Rosario (Bogotá)
- Pedagogical and Technological University of Colombia UPTC (Tunja)
- University of Caldas (Manizales)
- Universidad de la Sabana (Chia, Cundinamarca)
- Universidad Externado de Colombia (Bogotá)
- University of Cartagena (Cartagena)
- Francisco José de Caldas District University (Bogotá)
- Nueva Granada Military University (Bogotá)
- EAFIT University (Medellín)
- El Bosque University (Bogotá)
- Santo Tomás University (Bogotá)
- University of Medellín (Medellín)
- CES University (Medellín)
- Simón Bolívar University (Barranquilla)
- Atlantic University (Barranquilla)
- University of the Costa (Barranquilla)
In total, 44 private and 27 public institutions managed to classify among the 71 selected. Of these, 60 correspond to main headquarters and 11 to sectional headquarters. The total accumulated score reached 1,679.82 points, and was distributed among the institutions based on their performance in the three indicators. The Sapiens Research firm recalled that “only until 2026 there could be important changes in scores and positions, and perhaps at the entrance of new IES to the list of the best in the country’s investigation.”
The best universities in Colombia, according to ICFES tests
In accordance with the results of the knowledge evaluated in 2024 by the Colombian Institute for the Evaluation of Education (ICFES), The universities that lead the ranking are the University of Los Andes, the National University of Colombia and the Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario. These results are exposed in Resolution 023842 issued on December 4, 2024 by the Ministry of Education and exposes the average score of students.
This evaluation is one of the most important indicators to measure the quality of higher education institutions in Colombia, however, it is not the only one and can be influenced by various factors. In fact, the entity recalls that the knowledge tests are not the only factor to evaluate educational quality in Colombia. This is the Top 10:
- University of Los Andes – Bogotá DC
- National University of Colombia – Bogotá DC
- Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario – Bogotá DC
- Pontifical Javeriana University – Bogotá DC
- Universidad de la Sabana – Chia
- University of Antioquia – Medellín
- Universidad del Valle – Cali
- EAFIT University – Medellín
- North University – Barranquilla 28
- National University of Colombia – Medellín
Photomontage news Caracol
The universities that complete the top 50 of knowledge pro
- Icesi University – Cali
- Pontifical Javeriana University – Cali
- Industrial University of Santander – Bucaramanga
- Bolivarian Pontifical University – Medellín
- Universidad Externado de Colombia – Bogotá DC
- District University “Francisco José de Caldas” – Bogotá DC
- EIA University – Medellín
- Colegio de Estudios de Administration – Cebogotá DC
- University of Cauca – Popayán
- El Bosque University – Bogotá DC
- Universidad Technological of Pereira – ITP – Pereira
- San José Higher Education Foundation – Fiesanjose Bogotá DC
- CES University – Medellín
- University of Caldas – Manizales
- University of Medellín – Medellín
- Military University “Nueva Granada” – Bogotá DC
- Higher School of Public Administration – ESAP – Bogotá DC
- Grancolombian Polytechnic – Bogota DC
- University of Quindío – Armenia
- University of Tolima – Ibagué
- Pedagogical and Technological University of Colombia – Tunja
- Santo Tomás University – Bogotá DC
- Universidad de la Costa Corporation, CUC – Barranquilla
- Autonomous University of Bucaramanga – Unab – Bucaramanga
- University of Cartagena – Cartagena
- Magdalena University – Unimagdalena – Santa Marta
- Free University – Pereira
- National Pedagogical University – Bogotá DC
- Bolivarian Pontifical University – Montería
- Sergio Arboleda University – Bogotá DC
- University Foundation of the Andean Area – Bogotá DC
- Autonomous University of the West – Cali
- University of La Salle – Bogotá DC
- EAN University – Bogotá DC
- Open National University and Distance UNAD – Bogotá DC
- National University of Colombia – Manizales
- Bolivarian Pontifical University – Bucaramanga
- COLOMBIAN COUNCIL CORPORATION – Medellín
- Alexander von Humboldt Business University Corporation – Cue – Armenia
- Remington University Corporation – Medellín
Valentina Gómez Gómez
Caracol news
[email protected]
