About Us

The Universidad Militar Nueva Granada (UMNG) is one of the most unique higher education institutions in Colombia. Its history reflects a constant evolution: it was born as an instructional center focused exclusively on the military forces and transformed into a high-quality, autonomous public university open to all citizens.

1. Origins and First Steps (1962–1980)

• • 1962: The foundations of the institution date back to this year, when the General José María Córdova Military Cadets School began offering university-level programs (such as Civil Engineering, Economics, and Law) to complement the professional training of officers.
  • 1978: As a result of the initiative of a group of doctors from the Central Military Hospital, the Military School of Medicine and Health Sciences was born.
  • 1980: Through Decree-Law 84, the national government formalized these efforts under the name Centro Universitario Militar Nueva Granada (Nueva Granada Military University Center), operating as a special administrative unit attached to the Ministry of Defense.

2. Official Foundation and Consolidation (1982–2002)

• • 1982: On July 23, under Resolution 12975 of the Ministry of National Education, the institution was officially recognized as a university, adopting its current name.
  • 1984: The university centralized its operations by moving to its iconic main campus at Calle 100 and Carrera 11, in northern Bogotá.
  • 1997: Seeking to expand its borders in response to the growth of the academic community, UMNG acquired the rural property of “Riogrande” in the municipality of Cajicá, Cundinamarca, planting the seed for its future mega-campus.

3. Autonomy, Law 805, and Expansion (2003–2015)

• • 2003: This was a pivotal year in its legal history. Law 805 of 2003 was enacted, which transformed the nature of UMNG, turning it into an autonomous university entity at the national level with a special organic regime. With this, it gained academic, administrative, and financial independence.
  • 2009: The Nueva Granada Campus in Cajicá was officially inaugurated, progressively establishing itself as one of the largest, most modern, and eco-sustainable university campuses in Latin America.
  • 2015: The university achieved the standard of excellence by receiving High-Quality Institutional Accreditation from the Ministry of Education for the first time.

4. Present Day and Global Projection

• • Multi-Campus Accreditation: In 2022, the Ministry of National Education renewed its High-Quality Multi-Campus Accreditation for a period of 8 years (valid until 2030).
  • Infrastructure: UMNG has four strategic locations: the Calle 100 Campus, the Cajicá Campus, the Postgraduate Campus (Calle 94), and the Faculty of Medicine Campus (located next to the Central Military Hospital).

Social Inclusion: While maintaining its close bonds of fellowship and shared values with the defense sector, the university opened its doors completely to the nation. Today, the vast majority of its student body is composed of civilian citizens, fulfilling a mission of educational leadership, research, and social outreach.