The university, based in Cali, is a private, non-profit institution legally established on the 2nd of September, 1959 and ratified on the 30th of May, 1964.

On the 23rd of October, 1958 the Santiago de Cali University Foundation was formalized by public notification of the document signed before a notary on the 16th of October of that year, displaying an ample ideological platform emphasizing the principles of equality, the offer of a liberal education emphasizing scientific investigation and the strengthening of democratic institutions. The university is legally recognized under Colombian Law and was authorized to open an additional campus in the adjoining town of Palmira in May, 2003.

The university now has the following faculties and programmes:

• College of Engineering
  • Bioengineering
  • Commercial Engineering
  • Electronic Engineering
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Systems Engineering (daytime and evening courses)
• College of Health Sciences
  • Medicine
  • Odontology
  • Physical Therapy
  • Psycology
  • Nursing
  • Speech Therapy
  • Dental Technology
  • Surgical Instrumentation
  • Respiratory Therapy
  • Pre-hospital Attention (Paramedics)
• College of Education
  • Pre-school education
  • Basic Education with emphasis in Social Sciences
  • Basic Education with emphasis in Mathematics
  • Basic Education with emphasis in Information Technologies
  • Foreign Languages English - French
  • Basic Education with emphasis in Natural Sciences and Environmental Education
  • Chemistry
• Language Institute
• College of Law
  • Law
• College of Journalism and Advertising
  • Journalism
  • Advertising
• College of Business and Economic Science
  • Business Administration
  • Accounting
  • Economics
  • Marketing
  • Finance and International Business