Located in the former Caldas railway station in the city of Manizales – the capital of the Department of Caldas – is the Universidad Autónoma de Manizales.
Founded as the Autonomous University Corporation of Manizales in 1979, supporting the idea of Father Leopoldo Peláez to create a university that responded to regional needs so young people didn’t have to travel to other cities like Bogotá, Medellín or Cali.
In downtown Manizales, culture, consumerism and business all come together. It was where the foundation of the city began, and as its architecture tells the stories of the past, it is a National Heritage site.
Undergraduate programs are varied, with the likes of: fashion design; political science, government and international relations; physiotherapy; culinary arts and gastronomy.
Masters, specializations, online education, and doctorates are also available at the university.
Sport is important in Manizales, both in the city with its vast number of sporting facilities, and at the