UIS opens new engineering building with Colombia’s first university space laboratory

The Universidad Industrial de Santander has opened a new engineering building that includes what it describes as the first space laboratory at a Colombian university.

The more than 25,000-square-meter complex has four floors, a basement and an equipped terrace. Solar panels are intended to make the building energy self-sufficient. The project cost 105 billion Colombian pesos, including 92.745 billion pesos for construction and 11.7 billion pesos for equipment.

The building brings together the university’s civil engineering, industrial design, electrical engineering and electronic engineering programs. Its first two floors contain teaching and research laboratories, while the upper floors house faculty offices and research groups. The complex also has 28 specialized laboratories, conference rooms and coworking areas.

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This building is the Faculty of Physical-Mechanical Engineering, where the Civil Engineering, Industrial Design, Electrical Engineering and Electronic Engineering programs mainly come together.

Rector Hernán Porras said the new facilities would provide a more suitable environment for students and researchers. He also said regional residents and industries could use the university’s expertise in civil engineering, design, electricity and electronics, and invited them to visit and seek advice.

The faculty currently has 9,099 students, 11 undergraduate programs and 26 postgraduate programs. UIS expects the new building to expand capacity by 2,960 students, reducing pressure on smaller spaces and supporting applied research.

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In the end, I invite you to come, because this is the university of all the people of Santander.