The University of the Republic (, sometimes ''UdelaR'') is a
public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...
research university
A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are "the key sites of Knowledge production modes, knowledge production", along with "intergenerational ...
in
Montevideo
Montevideo (, ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Uruguay, largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2023 census, the city proper has a population of 1,302,954 (about 37.2% of the country's total population) in an area of . M ...
,
Uruguay
Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...
. It is the country's oldest and largest university, as well as one of the largest public universities in South America in
terms of enrollment. Established in 1849, it has educated the vast majority of Uruguay's professionals throughout history and has maintained a leading role in advancing academic research and higher education.
The University of the Republic enrolls more than 140,000 students and is organized into 16 independent faculties. It administers 7 university schools and scientific institutes, the
Hospital Clinic Manuel Quintela, as well as three regional university centers that serve different parts of the country.
History
The process of founding the country's first public university began on 11 June 1833, when a law proposed by then-Senator
Dámaso Antonio Larrañaga was passed. It called for the creation of nine academic departments; the President of the Republic would pass a decree formally creating the departments once the majority of them were in operation. In 1836 the House of General Studies was formed, housing the departments of Latin, philosophy, mathematics, theology and jurisprudence.
On 27 May 1838,
Manuel Oribe
Manuel Ceferino Oribe y Viana (August 26, 1792 – November 12, 1857) was the 2nd Constitutional president of Uruguay and founder of Uruguay's National Party, the oldest Uruguayan political party and considered one of the two Uruguayan "tr ...
passed a decree through which created the Greater University of the Republic. That decree had few practical effects, given the institutional instability of the Oriental Republic of the Uruguay at that time.
Ranking
In 2019, according to
University Ranking by Academic Performance
The University Ranking by Academic Performance (URAP) is a university ranking developed by the Informatics Institute of Middle East Technical University. Since 2010, it has been publishing annual national and global college and university ranking ...
, it is the best university in Uruguay and it stands in the 801-900 bracket among the best universities in the world. In 2025, according to
QS World University Rankings
The ''QS World University Rankings'' is a portfolio of comparative college and university rankings compiled by Quacquarelli Symonds, a higher education analytics firm. Its first and earliest edition was published in collaboration with '' Times ...
, it ranked #661-670 worldwide.
Faculties
* Faculty of
Agronomy
Agronomy is the science and technology of producing and using plants by agriculture for food, fuel, fiber, chemicals, recreation, or land conservation. Agronomy has come to include research of plant genetics, plant physiology, meteorology, and ...
* Faculty of
Architecture
Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and construction, constructi ...
,
Design
A design is the concept or proposal for an object, process, or system. The word ''design'' refers to something that is or has been intentionally created by a thinking agent, and is sometimes used to refer to the inherent nature of something ...
, and
Urbanism
Urbanism is the study of how inhabitants of urban areas, such as towns and cities, interact with the built environment. It is a direct component of disciplines such as urban planning, a profession focusing on the design and management of urban ...
* Faculty of
Art
Art is a diverse range of cultural activity centered around ''works'' utilizing creative or imaginative talents, which are expected to evoke a worthwhile experience, generally through an expression of emotional power, conceptual ideas, tec ...
s
* Faculty of
Chemistry
Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a physical science within the natural sciences that studies the chemical elements that make up matter and chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules a ...
* Faculty of
Economics
Economics () is a behavioral science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and interac ...
and
Business Administration
Business administration is the administration of a commercial enterprise. It includes all aspects of overseeing and supervising the business operations of an organization.
Overview
The administration of a business includes the performance o ...
* Faculty of
Engineering
Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to Problem solving#Engineering, solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve Systems engineering, s ...
* Faculty of
Humanities
Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture, including Philosophy, certain fundamental questions asked by humans. During the Renaissance, the term "humanities" referred to the study of classical literature a ...
and
Education Science
* Faculty of
Law
Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the ar ...
* Faculty of
Medicine
Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...
* Faculty of
Nursing
Nursing is a health care profession that "integrates the art and science of caring and focuses on the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and human functioning; prevention of illness and injury; facilitation of healing; and alle ...
* Faculty of
Odontology
Dentistry, also known as dental medicine and oral medicine, is the branch of medicine focused on the teeth, gums, and mouth. It consists of the study, diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases, disorders, and conditions of ...
* Faculty of
Psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Its subject matter includes the behavior of humans and nonhumans, both consciousness, conscious and Unconscious mind, unconscious phenomena, and mental processes such as thoughts, feel ...
* Faculty of
Science
Science is a systematic discipline that builds and organises knowledge in the form of testable hypotheses and predictions about the universe. Modern science is typically divided into twoor threemajor branches: the natural sciences, which stu ...
* Faculty of
Social Science
Social science (often rendered in the plural as the social sciences) is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among members within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the ...
* Faculty of
Veterinary Medicine
Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, management, medical diagnosis, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, disorder, and injury in non-human animals. The scope of veterinary medicine is wide, covering all a ...
* Faculty of
Information
Information is an Abstraction, abstract concept that refers to something which has the power Communication, to inform. At the most fundamental level, it pertains to the Interpretation (philosophy), interpretation (perhaps Interpretation (log ...
and
Communication
Communication is commonly defined as the transmission of information. Its precise definition is disputed and there are disagreements about whether Intention, unintentional or failed transmissions are included and whether communication not onl ...
Law School
The University of the Republic
Law School
A law school (also known as a law centre/center, college of law, or faculty of law) is an institution, professional school, or department of a college or university specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for b ...
was established on June 18, 1838, as the Academy of Jurisprudence, making it the oldest law school in the nation. It became a branch of the University of the Republic on July 18, 1849. It is the only branch of the university that hasn't moved from the main building in
Cordón, Montevideo. It was the only law school in Uruguay until the arrival of the
Catholic University of Uruguay in 1984.
Many Presidents of Uruguay, senators, representatives and other public authorities with a law degree have graduated from this law school. Notable professors include Jorge Gamarra, Alejandro Abal, Alberto Perez Perez, Dora Bagdassarian, Helios Sarthou, Carlos Delpiazzo,
Gonzalo Fernández, and Daniel Ferrere.
The
Dean is Dr. Gonzalo A. Lorenzo Idiarte.
Its main executive organ is the Law School Council, integrated by the dean and members in representation of students, former students and professors.
Schools and Institutes
* School of Administration
* School of Medical Technology
* School of Nutrition and Dietetics
* School of Obstetrics
* School of Odontological Technology
Hospital
The university has its own hospital in
Montevideo
Montevideo (, ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Uruguay, largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2023 census, the city proper has a population of 1,302,954 (about 37.2% of the country's total population) in an area of . M ...
,
Hospital de Clínicas “Dr. Manuel Quintela”.
Other cities
In an effort to decentralize higher education, the university has opened schools in cities other than Montevideo. Its ''Regional Norte'' in
Salto offers
degrees in Architecture, Law and Nursing. Fragments of other degrees, which can be completed in Montevideo, are also offered there. At the ''Casa Universitaria'' in
Rivera
Rivera () is the capital of Rivera Department of Uruguay. The border with Brazil joins it with the Brazilian city of Santana do Livramento, which is only a block away from it, at the north end of Route 5 (Uruguay), Route 5. Together, they form an ...
, the Faculty of Sciences offers the Technicature in Management of Environmental Resources, which has a duration of two and a half years.
Collaborations with UTU and UTEC
The University of the Republic School of Engineering offers certain courses in collaboration with
UTU
Shamash ( Akkadian: ''šamaš''), also known as Utu ( Sumerian: dutu " Sun") was the ancient Mesopotamian sun god. He was believed to see everything that happened in the world every day, and was therefore responsible for justice and protection ...
and in order to increase penetration of these orientations outside of the capital city. Currently the only course being offered in this manner is Informatics Technologist.
Notable alumni, faculty and staff
*
Beatriz Amendola, Radiation oncologist
*
Teresita de Barbieri, Feminist sociologist
*
Lucrecia Covelo, Entomologist
*
Ana Denicola, Professor of Physical Biochemistry
*
José Batlle y Ordóñez
José Pablo Torcuato Batlle y Ordóñez ( or ; 23 May 1856 – 20 October 1929), nicknamed ''Don Pepe'', was a prominent Uruguayan politician who served two terms as President of Uruguay for the Colorado Party. The son of a former president, ...
, Former president of Uruguay (1903-1907, 1911-1915), president of the
National Council of Administration
The National Council of Administration () was part of the executive power in Uruguay between 1919 and 1933, ruling alongside the President of Uruguay, President of the Republic. (1921-1923)
*
Luis Alberto de Herrera
Luis Alberto de Herrera (Montevideo, 22 July 1873 – 8 April 1959) was a Uruguayan lawyer, diplomat, journalist and politician.
Political and diplomatic roles
A national leader of great importance during the first half of the 20th century, he ...
, Lawyer, politician and diplomat. President of the
National Council of Administration
The National Council of Administration () was part of the executive power in Uruguay between 1919 and 1933, ruling alongside the President of Uruguay, President of the Republic. (1925-1927)
*
Carlos Vaz Ferreira, Professor of Philosophy, writer and pragmatist philosopher.
*
Tabaré Vázquez
Tabaré Ramón Vázquez Rosas (; 17 January 19406 December 2020) was a Uruguayan politician and oncologist who served as the 39th and 41st President of Uruguay from 2005 to 2010 and from 2015 to 2020. During his political career, Vázquez was a ...
, Professor of Oncology, former president of Uruguay (2005-2010, 2015-2020)
*
Danilo Astori
Danilo Ángel Astori Saragosa (23 April 1940 – 10 November 2023) was a Uruguayan social democratic politician and economist who served as the 15th vice president of Uruguay from 2010 to 2015 under President José Mujica. A member of Urugua ...
, Former vice-president of Uruguay (2010-2015) senator and Minister of Economy. Professor of Economics.
*
Beatriz Argimón, Former vice-president of Uruguay (2020-2025)
*
Ida Holz, Engineer, researcher,
Internet pioneer
*
Carolina Cosse
Ana Carolina Cosse Garrido (born 25 December 1961) is a Uruguayan engineer and politician who is serving as the Vice President of Uruguay since 2025, after winning the 2024 Uruguayan general election, 2024 general election. She has been Intendant ...
, Engineer. vice-president of Uruguay (2025-2030)
*
Luis Alberto Lacalle
Luis Alberto Lacalle de Herrera (; ''Lacalle'' locally or ; born 13 July 1941) is a Uruguayan politician and lawyer who served as the 36th president of Uruguay from 1990 to 1995. A member of the National Party, he previously served as Nation ...
, Lawyer, former president of Uruguay (1990-1995)
*
Ramón Díaz (economist)
Ramón Tomás Díaz Gaspar, CBE (Montevideo, 30 May 1926 – 7 January 2017) was an influential Uruguayan journalist, lawyer and economist.
He presided over the Central Bank of Uruguay (1990–1993).
An advocate of the liberal thought in Urug ...
, Professor of Economics, former president of the
Mont Pelerin Society
The Mont Pelerin Society (MPS), founded in 1947, is an international academic society of Economist, economists, Political philosophy, political philosophers, and other Intelligentsia, intellectuals who share a classical liberal outlook. It is hea ...
*
Rafael Radi, Professor of Biochemistry, Foreign Associate of the US National Academy of Science.
*
Rodrigo Arocena, Professor of Mathematics, former rector (2006-2014).
*
Enrique V. Iglesias, Professor of Economics, former president of the
Central Bank of Uruguay
The Central Bank of Uruguay (, BCU) is the central bank of Uruguay.
History
The Central Bank of Uruguay was established on July 6, 1967 as an autonomous state entity (), with the passing of the 196th article of the Constitution of 1967. Prior ...
(1967-1969), former president of the
Inter-American Development Bank
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB or IADB) is an international development finance institution headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States of America. It serves as one of the leading sources of development financing for the countri ...
(1988-2005).
*
Julio Ángel Fernández, Professor of Astronomy, member of the
National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, NGO, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the ...
.
*
Clemente Estable, Professor of Neurobiology, pedagogue and cell theorist.
See also
*
List of universities in Uruguay
*
Education in Uruguay
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:University Of The Republic, Uruguay
Forestry education
Universities and colleges established in 1849
Government-owned companies of Uruguay
1849 establishments in Uruguay
Education in Uruguay
Universities in Uruguay