Abandoned university in Peru once boasted planetarium and aquarium, now lies derelict

High in the hills of Huarochirí province, Lima, stands the imposing, yet deserted, infrastructure of the Universidad Santo Domingo de Guzmán (USDG). This institution once aspired to revolutionize higher education in Peru with a sprawling campus exceeding 200 hectares, complete with a planetarium and even an aquarium. Launched in 2013 with an initial enrollment of 300 students in engineering and education programs, the university's ambitious journey met an abrupt end.

The Superintendencia Nacional de Educación Superior Universitaria (Sunedu) ultimately denied the USDG institutional licensing. The university failed to meet the basic quality conditions mandated by the University Law, leading to its definitive closure in 2022. Throughout its operational existence, only 79 students managed to graduate.

Today, the university lies in a state of complete abandonment amidst the hills of San Antonio. Despite the decay, a significant portion of its structures remain intact, showcasing its former scale. Videos shared by YouTubers reveal empty pavilions with preserved classrooms, functional bathrooms, and a vast, dust-covered swimming pool that might have functioned as an aquarium. The grounds also show neglected green areas, courtyards with chess tables, and three immense five-story buildings with ceramic finishes.

At the highest point of the hill, a planetarium still stands. While its exterior shows the inevitable signs of time, its interior remains relatively well-preserved. The closure by Sunedu was based on detected deficiencies, including the absence of equipped laboratories and workshops, issues with academic planning, and a lack of a viable institutional project to ensure educational continuity for its students.

The Universidad Santo Domingo de Guzmán primarily offered degrees in Engineering and Education. Its programs included Business Engineering, Systems and Informatics Engineering, Early Childhood Education, and Primary Education. Some reports indicate that engineering programs were among the first approved by the former CONAFU, with Education programs undergoing evaluation later.