Universidad ORT Uruguay
Logo of ORT Uruguay | |
| Type | Private, Research |
|---|---|
| Established | 1942 |
| Rector | Dr. Jorge Grünberg |
| Students | More than 10,000 |
| Location | , |
| Campus | Urban |
| Website | www.ort.edu.uy |
Universidad ORT Uruguay (ORT) is a private research university in Montevideo, Uruguay. Established in 1942 as a technical school and officially recognized as a university in 1996, it is part of the global Jewish educational network World ORT. It enrolls more than 10,000 students across five faculties and two institutes, making it one of the largest private higher education institutions in the country.
History
Universidad ORT Uruguay traces its origins to 1942, when it was founded as a technical school by members of Uruguay’s Jewish community. The initiative formed part of the international network of World ORT, established in 1880 in Saint Petersburg, and sought to provide vocational training to immigrants arriving in Uruguay—many of them fleeing Nazism—in order to facilitate their social and economic integration.[1]
By the 1980s, ORT Uruguay had expanded its academic offerings, particularly in electronics and computer science. In 1985, it applied to the Ministry of Education and Culture for official recognition of its tertiary degrees in Systems Analysis and Electronics, which was granted in 1988. These authorisations were among the first granted by the Uruguayan state to a non-governmental tertiary institution. That same year, the institution established the School of Management, regarded as the first business school in Uruguay.[2]
In 1995, the government enacted the country’s first legal framework regulating private universities, at a time when the only university in operation was the public University of the Republic.[3] In February 1996, ORT Uruguay became the first institution to apply for authorisation under the new legislation and was formally recognised as a private university in September of that year.[4]
Between 1996 and 1999, its principal academic faculties were created. The Faculty of Engineering consolidated several pre-existing departments, followed by the Faculty of Administration and Social Sciences—successor to the School of Management—the Faculty of Communication and Design, and, in 1999, the Faculty of Architecture.[5]
In 2003, the Institute of Jewish Studies was reorganised to promote research and outreach activities related to Jewish history and culture in Uruguay, antisemitism, and the Shoah, including seminars, publications and documentary projects.[6] In 2008, the Faculty of Communication and Design signed an academic cooperation agreement with the California Institute of the Arts, supporting the launch of undergraduate programmes in Animation and Video Games.[7]
From 1977 to 2024, the university’s rector was Charlotte de Grünberg, a Belgian-born Holocaust survivor who had resided in Uruguay since 1952.[8] ORT Uruguay is a member of several international academic associations, including the International Association of Universities (IAU) and the Union of Latin American Universities (UDUAL).[9] Its Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme was ranked among the best in Latin America for the 21st consecutive year in 2017, according to the annual ranking published by AméricaEconomía.[10]
Academics
Teaching and learning
| School | Founded |
| Faculty of Engineering | 1996 |
| Faculty of Architecture | 1999 |
| Faculty of Administration and Social Sciences | 1996 |
| Institute of Education | 1998 |
| Faculty of Communication | 2024 |
| Faculty of Design | 2024 |
| Instituto de Dermatología | 2025 |
Universidad ORT Uruguay is a large research university offering 30 undergraduate degree programmes, 24 undergraduate diploma programmes, and 43 postgraduate degrees. Since July 2020, the university has been listed in the Times Higher Education Latin America University Rankings.[11]
ORT’s Graduate School of Business Master of Business Administration (MBA) has been ranked between 131st and 140th globally in the 2021 QS Quacquarelli Symonds Executive MBA Rankings, placing 7th in Latin America and becoming the only MBA programme in Uruguay included in that classification.[12] The programme has also been accredited by the Association of MBAs and was the only Uruguayan MBA featured in the "Global Executive MBA Rankings 2020".
For the twenty-eighth consecutive year (as of September 2023), ORT’s Faculty of Business Administration and Social Sciences has been the only Uruguayan business school ranked among the top 25 in Latin America in the annual ranking conducted by América Economía. In September 2021, QS Quacquarelli Symonds placed the university among the world’s top 550 institutions for graduate employability.[13]
Undergraduate degrees
Faculty of Business Administration and Social Sciences
- Public Accountant
- Bachelor in Economics
- Bachelor in International Studies
- Bachelor in Management and Administration
- Bachelor in Marketing and Commercial Management
- Bachelor in Digital Business
- Bachelor in Finance
Faculty of Architecture
- Architecture Degree
- Bachelor in Interior Design
Faculty of Communication
- Bachelor in Global Communication
- Bachelor in Communication and Data Analytics
- Bachelor in Advertising and Marketing Communication
- Bachelor in Audiovisual and Film Communication
- Bachelor in Corporate Communication
- Bachelor in Journalism and Content Creation
Faculty of Design
- Bachelor in Industrial Design
- Bachelor in Design, Art, and Technology
- Bachelor in Multimedia Design
- Bachelor in Animation and Video Games
- Bachelor in Fashion Design
- Bachelor in Graphic Design
Faculty of Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Biotechnology Engineering
- Electronic Engineering
- Computer Systems Engineering
- Telecommunications Engineering
- Bachelor in Biotechnology
- Bachelor in Information Systems
- Bachelor of Bioinformatics
Postgraduate degrees
Faculty of Business Administration and Social Sciences
- Master of Business Administration – MBA
- Executive MBA (Blended)
- Master in Commercial Management and Marketing
- Postgraduate Diploma in Business Analytics
- Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting
- Postgraduate Diploma in Finance
- Postgraduate Diploma in International Taxation
- Postgraduate Diploma in Taxation
- Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing
- Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resources
- Master in Accounting and Finance
- Master in Human Resources Management
- Master in Financial Management
- Master in Taxation and International Tax Law
- Master in Taxation and Accounting Standards (IFRS)
Faculty of Architecture
- Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Architecture
- Postgraduate Diploma in Real Estate Business
- Master in Timber Constructions
Faculty of Communication
- Master in Strategic Design and Innovation
- Postgraduate Diploma in User Experience Design
- Master in Creativity, Innovation, and Communication
- Postgraduate Diploma in Creativity and Innovation
- Master in Communication and Marketing Management
- Postgraduate Diploma in Communication Management
- Master in Fashion Management and Communication
- Postgraduate Diploma in Fashion Business and Management
Faculty of Engineering
- Postgraduate Diploma in Big Data Analytics
- Postgraduate Diploma in Information Systems Management
- Postgraduate Diploma in Artificial Intelligence
- PhD in Engineering
- Master in Big Data
- Master in Information Systems Management
- Master in Engineering (by Research)
- Master in Artificial Intelligence
Institute of Dermatology
- Postgraduate Specialization in Medical-Surgical Dermatology
Institute of Education
- Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
- Diploma in Education
- Diploma in Teacher Training
- Diploma in Educational Planning and Management
- PhD in Education
- Master in Education
- Master in Teacher Training
- Master in Educational Management
Notable people
- Verónica Alonso, politician[14]
- Álvaro Delgado, politician and veterinarian[15]
- Gabriela Hearst, women's luxury ready-to-wear and accessories designer.[16]
- Camila Rajchman, singer and television personality[17]
- Sofía Rodríguez, television journalist[18]
References
- ^ "70 años de ORT en Uruguay - Universidad ORT Uruguay". www.ort.edu.uy. Retrieved 2026-03-02.
- ^ "La Facultad de Administración y Ciencias Sociales de la Universidad ORT Uruguay celebró su cuarto de siglo" (PDF). Crónicas. 2013-08-16.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Decreto N° 308/995 - Reglamentación del Decreto Ley 15.661 relativo al Sistema de Enseñanza Terciaria Privada". IMPO (in Spanish). Retrieved December 21, 2025.
- ^ "Historia de ORT en Uruguay - Universidad ORT Uruguay". www.ort.edu.uy. Archived from the original on 2026-01-13. Retrieved 2026-03-02.
- ^ Grupo 180. "ORT - 25 años de Facultad de Comunicación". www.180.com.uy (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-03-02.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Department of Jewish Studies - Universidad ORT Uruguay". www.ort.edu.uy. Archived from the original on 2025-01-25. Retrieved 2026-03-02.
- ^ "Convenio con California Institute of the Arts, Estados Unidos - Universidad ORT Uruguay". fc.ort.edu.uy. Retrieved 2026-03-02.
- ^ "Dolor en la Academia tras fallecimiento de Charlotte de Grünberg, directora general de ORT". El Observador (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2024-04-21. Retrieved 2026-03-02.
- ^ "ORT University of Uruguay | Higher Education and research for Sustainable Development". www.iau-hesd.net. Archived from the original on 2025-10-08. Retrieved 2026-03-02.
- ^ "Ranking MBA 2023". AméricaEconomía (in Spanish). Retrieved December 21, 2025.
- ^ "Latin America University Rankings 2020".
- ^ "QS Global Executive MBA Rankings 2021". TopMBA. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
- ^ "QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022". TopUniversities. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
- ^ "Verónica Alonso tuvo en su currículum una maestría que no terminó". El Observador (in Spanish). Retrieved December 21, 2025.
- ^ "Entrevista a Delgado: de veterinario a político y cómo decidió ser blanco siendo hijo de un colorado". 2023-01-12. Archived from the original on 2023-01-12. Retrieved 2023-05-27.
- ^ "About". Gabriela Hearst. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
- ^ "Seré Curioso: Camila Rajchman". Montevideo Portal (in Spanish). Retrieved December 21, 2025.
- ^ "¿Qué hacen los graduados?". Universidad ORT Uruguay (in Spanish). Retrieved December 21, 2025.