Universidad Simón Bolívar or USB, is a public, experimental, and tuition free institution founded in 1967, that started academic activities in 1970 in its Sartenejas campus (Caracas), and seven years later in its El Litoral campus (Central coast). Both campuses are set in sub-urban areas, with extensive forests and parks (over 260 hectars of land, more than 20 square meters per person).
Until July 2017, the university has awarded around 35000 undergraduate degrees and about 5000 graduate degrees. USB graduates enjoy high employment rate around the world.
USB is an innovative, participative, productive and plural academic community, that permanently learns and develops itself, committed to excellence, whose primary mission is to significantly contribute to the education, based on ethical values, of free citizens and innovative leaders, with high professional and human qualities, oriented towards the creativity, innovation, production, sensibility and social and environmental responsibility. The university understands that its goal is to contribute to a ore fair society, and to promote the sustainable development of its environmental, social, political, cultural and economic dimensions.
The University offers 10 Associates degree Programs, 10 bachelor degree programs in engineering, 7 bachelor degree programs in basic sciences, 4 bachelor degree programs in social sciences and humanities, 24 aster degree programs, over 30 specialization programs, and 15 doctorate programs.
Universidad Simon Bolivar is a gender balanced institution. Almost 50 percent of faculty members as well as of students are female. Over 50 percent of full time faculty members hold a PhD. Duties of faculty members comprise teaching, research and university outreach. However, the university is strongly research oriented.
The university has also a strong internationalization program. More than 100 international agreements with higher education institutions in over 25 countries have been signed. The university belongs to 8 HEI networks, and participates in several international cooperation programs. Yearly, over 100 students participate in the international student exchange program.
Students enjoy opportunities to participate in over 50 student organizations from a broad range of activities. They also enjoy free transportation and lunch service.