The city of Cali has inaugurated the Multicampus Ladera, a public university complex in comunas 1, 18, and 20, marking a milestone in accessible higher education. With an investment of 45 billion pesos, the project aims to reduce territorial inequalities and provide opportunities to thousands of students. This initiative represents the first step toward the future Universidad del Oriente.
The inauguration of Multicampus Ladera in Cali represents a significant shift in the city's public education landscape. For the first time in decades, a large-scale university complex opens in the ladera zone, areas historically marginalized by inequality. The project, with an investment of $45 billion pesos supplemented by $7.7 billion in technological equipment, brings together seven public institutions, including the Escuela Nacional del Deporte, Bellas Artes, Antonio José Camacho, and UCEVA.
This model offers 45 academic programs and projects to serve 9,000 students per semester with free tuition. The strategy aims not just to build infrastructure but to create real opportunities, especially for residents of comunas like 1 and 20, where distance and work responsibilities have been barriers to education.
Columnist Carlos Hernán Rodríguez Naranjo stresses that true transformation happens when education reaches neighborhoods, using megacolegio facilities as decentralized classrooms. He highlights the need for programs relevant to the local context, such as technicians in sustainable mobility, digital cultural managers, and e-commerce technologists, tailored to sectors like logistics, culture, sports, and tourism.
To ensure success, flexibility in schedules and modalities is required, along with scholarships and comprehensive support, to prevent dropout among working students or those supporting families. Additionally, the Multicampus could serve as a community hub for cultural workshops, sports activities, and mental health processes, promoting inter-institutional coordination.
The project's continuity depends on political decisions in November, extending to east Cali, where over 40% of the population lives. The Universidad del Oriente would be the next stage, linking education to employment and social mobility.