The CESA School of Business began on February 23, 1975, constituting a private, non-profit educational institution.   

CESA was founded by the initiative of a group of businessmen led by former president Carlos Lleras Restrepo and Dr. Hernan Echavarría Olózaga, with the support of the National Association of Industries (ANDI), and the Colombian Institute of Directors (INCOLDA).  Their common purpose was to meet Colombia's need for strong, creative and well skilled leaders in both the public and private sectors of Colombia. 

When agreeing to create the institution, it was decided to be established as a college, in order to emphasize the disciplinary unit of the academic structure, planned for limited groups of students.  This is why CESA’s philosophy is focused on personalized education. 

35 years later, the results have been extraordinary with a recognized program in the academic and business worlds as one of the best in undergraduate Business Administration.  It has been approved by the Ministry of Education as a high-quality institution by Resolution No. 569.

Our main focus is on building the best business leaders; professionals that add value to their business, who are creative, ethical, and committed to generating economic, political and social development throughout the world.

The current dean is José Manuel Restrepo Abondano, PhD Candidate in Business Administration in Higher Education Management at the University of Bath. 
MSc. in Economics, London School of Economics 
Specialist in Finance, Universidad del Rosario 
Economist, Universidad del Rosario

Mission 
To shape tomorrow’s business leaders, gifted with entrepreneurial spirit and committed to promoting CESA’s values of economic and social development in order to make our country a fair, competitive and peaceful nation.

Vision 
To be the best business school in Colombia. Our aim is to satisfy the professional needs, from the academic point of view, of the private and public sectors in the field of management.

Institutional goals are strongly articulated with the substantial functions of higher education (teaching, investigation and social promotion)

General Objective 
To be a monodisciplinary school specializing in Administrative sciences, whose professors are well known as the best business leaders in the following aspects:

• Solid expertise in the field of Business Administration
• Intellectual and cultural formation
• Dedicated to economic and social development
• Ethical both personally and what is taught in class

CESA offers the undergraduate business administration program which is registered at the Colombian National System of Higher Education under the number 270446580001100111100. It has been credited by the National Ministry of Education as a high quality program through Resolution No. 569 of March 1, 2004. The program was officially recognized through resolution No 5320 of September 10, 2007, which is granted for four years, and received a Qualified Register Resolution -5098 of July 31, 2009- granted for seven years.

At the level of specializations, CESA offers the Corporate Finance Specialization which is registered at the Colombian National System of Higher Education under the number 270453320001100111100, and the Strategic Marketing Specialization which is registered under the number 270456580801100111200. 

CESA is committed to its social responsibility within higher education and specifically in the field of Business Administration. Responding to the needs of Colombian society, the school bases its educational project on the holistic education of its students through a permanent qualification of the teaching process, in accordance with scientific and technological progress and an inclusive perspective of individuals, and the economic, social, political, educational and cultural  development of our society.

The Institutional Educational Project reflects on the meaning of education, the construction and reconstruction of knowledge in the world of ideas, business creativity and business reality; the reason behind its procedures that grants a purpose to its educational mission, provides grounds for decisions and gives life to the academic community.

Click here to download more information about the Institutional Education Project (Currently in Spanish).

The International Relations Office of CESA is responsible for taking the lead in managing relationships with international educational institutions in order to provide excellent programs and opportunities for any student who wishes to study abroad.  The options for students include: 1) International Exchange 2) Double Degree programs- professional diploma granted by CESA and the title of the university abroad 3) International Internships  4) Language classes abroad  5) Students from abroad, studying at CESA 

DOUBLE DEGREE PROGRAM

The Double Degree program is designed to give access to postgraduate programs from mutual agreements with universities abroad for students who have finished seventh semester.  Subsequently, the year abroad will replace eighth and ninth semesters respectively.  Once the student returns to Colombia and fulfills all additional graduation requirements, according to Article 62 in the CESA Undergraduate Regulation, an undergraduate diploma, as well as the postgraduate degree earned abroad, will be granted.

SEMESTER OR ACADEMIC YEAR ABROAD

Students may study up to one academic year at a university recognized by CESA, taking into account the core subjects will be completed at CESA or abroad during each semester.  The following course materials that CESA considers mandatory are:

FIFTH SEMESTER 
Macroeconomics 
Financial Principles 
Marketing Research 
Elective  

SIXTH SEMESTER  (Plan 22) 
Financial Principles 
Capital Markets 
Patterns of Entrepreneurship 
Corporate Visits:   The student must visit companies in both the Service and Industrial Sectors.  Corporate visits may be done in the country in which they are studying.  See International Corporate Visits Regulation.

SIXTH SEMESTER  (PLAN 23) 
Patterns of Entrepreneurship 
Investment Projects 
Financial Modeling 
Corporate Visits:   The student must visit companies in both the Service and Industrial Sectors.  Corporate visits may be done in the country in which they are studying.  See International Corporate Visits Regulation.

SEVENTH SEMESTER (PLAN 22) 
Logistics & Supply Chain Management 
Strategic Marketing 
Financial Planning 
Corporate Visits: Students must visit companies in both the Service and Industrial Sectors.  Corporate visits may be done in the country in which they are studying.  See International Corporate Visits Regulation.

EIGHTH SEMESTER 
Students must take four related courses in their major which will be credited for the eighth semester and the internship.

NINTH SEMESTER 
Students must take four related courses in their major which will be credited for the ninth semester and the internship.

Click here to dowload the Undergraduate Program Brochure

INTERNATIONAL INTERNSHIPS 
Students may do their internships abroad and must take three courses at an approved university (with previous authorization from the Internship Supervisor and the Assistant Dean).

INTERNATIONAL CORPORATE VISIT REGULATIONS

Overview 
Students who decide to do an international exchange during sixth or seventh semester must choose a country where they can find two companies both in the Service and Industrial Sectors. Since the corporate visit program is part of the student’s academic formation, no exceptions will be made. 

Objectives:

• Be familiar with productive and organizational processes within companies
• Establish both personal and professional business relations
• Be familiar with successful business models.
   
  Additional Graduation Requirement:  Corporate Visit Report 
  Students’ reports must include:

1. Company history and organizational description
2. Nature and description of products made or services performed
3. Evaluation of the industrial activity in which the company is performing
4. Company’s plans for the future
5. Important aspects such as: administrative, managerial and entrepreneurial
6. Description of the production process
7. Make a Comparative Sector Analysis
8. Create an innovative strategy for the company
   
   
   
1. Rules
1. Students that wish to study abroad must meet a minimum 7.0 (10-point scale) grade point average and must be in good standing.  Students going to Japan have a minimum 8.0 grade point average.
2. Students cannot do an exchange if under discipline.
3. Students may only study abroad after finishing fourth semester
4. Only students who have successfully completed seventh semester may choose a Double Degree program. This program title will only be granted during the last year which includes completion of the internship.
5. Students applying to the program at the American University will be credited for the courses that they take
6. The Kansai Gaidai Scholarship is available to any student who has finished seventh semester.  This program title will be granted during the last year at CESA and does not count towards the Double Degree Program.
7. All students must complete a thesis regardless of study abroad and Double Degree programs. The thesis and thesis class can be done virtually by internet and e-mail.
8. Students doing their internships or studying abroad must pay 5% of tuition costs per semester.
9. In the case that the student selects an internship or university other than one approved by CESA, the Study Abroad Committee needs to approve the university and course materials.
   
   
2. Procedures

In order to study abroad, the following procedures must be carried out:

1. Students wanting to go abroad can go to the Office of International Relations for more information and advice
2. Once a program has been decided on, the students must write a letter to the Office of International Relations stating where they want to go, program name, semester, contact numbers and a personal e-mail in order to be in direct contact with the university abroad.
3. The Office of International Relations will help the student through the process of completing the university application.
4. While waiting for an acceptance letter, the student must start the visa process so that everything is in order once accepted.  The corresponding consulate will process the visa.
5. The Office of International Relations will give the student a written acceptance letter of the international exchange.
6. Once the study abroad is completed, the university must send all original paperwork to the Office of International Relations so that it can be credited by CESA.

3. Study Abroad Opportunities
   

1. Double Degree Programs
1. ESC ROUEN- France.    Take a Specialization in France during eighth and ninth semesters.   Return to Colombia with an undergraduate degree and a Specialization from France.     www.esc-rouen.fr
2. Universidad Francisco Victoria- Madrid, Spain.   Take a Specialization in Spain during eighth and ninth semesters. Return to Colombia with an undergraduate degree from CESA and a Specialization from Spain.  www.ufv.es
3. Escuela Europea de Dirección y Empresa- Madrid, Spain.     Take a Specialization in Spain during eighth and ninth semester. Return to Colombia with an undergraduate degree and a Specialization from Spain.  www.eude.es
4. Institute Vatel, France. Study three years in CESA and two years at Vatel.  Language requirements: English.   www.vatel.fr
5. Griffith University, Australia.  Study a Masters in Brisbane, Australia during eighth and ninth semesters. Return to Colombia with an undergraduate degree and a Masters from Australia. www.griffith.edu.au
   
   
2. Semester or Academic Year Abroad
1. Kansai Gaidai University, Japan.  Seventh semester students can apply for three scholarships to study in Japan for a year.  Language requirement: English.   www.kansaigaidai.ac.jp
2. New Castle University, England. Language requirements: English. www.ncl.ac.uk
3. American University- Washington, D.C.  An established program with specific themes.  Students will receive credit for a semester.  Language requirements: English.  www.american.edu
4. Tecnológico de Monterrey- Mexico.  Students can study for a semester while doing an internship.  Language requirements: English.   www.itesm.edu
5. Fundación Getulio Vargas- Brazil.  Language requirements: English or Portuguese.    www.eaesp.fgvsp.br
6. University of Palermo- Buenos Aires, Argentina.  Language requirements: Spanish. www.palermo.edu
7. Vesalius College- Bruselles, Belgium.  Semester abroad, plus a business internship.    www.vesalius.edu
8. Business Internships in Australia.  Language requirements: English.  www.internships.com.au
9. Universidad Carlos III – Madrid, Spain.  Language requirements: English.  www.uc3m.es
10. Hawaiian Pacific University- Hawaii, USA.  Language requirements: English.  www.hpu.edu/international
11. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.  Language requirements: English or Catalan.  www.aub.es
12. California State University- Fullerton, CA, USA. Language requirements: English.  www.usa.fullerton.edu
13. Universidad de Bocconi, Italia.  Language requirements: English or Italian.  www.ir.inibocconi.eu/isd
14. Universidad de San Andrés- Buenos Aires, Argentina.  Language requirements: Spanish.  www.udesa.edu.ar
15. Universidad de Zeppelin- Germany.  One-on-one exchange.  Language requirements: English. www.zeppelin-university.de
16. Arnhem Business School- Hann University, Netherlands. Language requirements: English.  www.han.nl/abs
17. Business Internships in Latin American, USA and China.

Visual Identity Manual

CESA has designed its Visual Identity Manual to serve as a guide when utilizing graphics used to represent us as an institution.  The purpose of the Visual Identity Manual is to establish coherent graphic communication and avoid the distortion of the institutional imagine.

This guide is designed for all the community and for those who work or use the logo-symbols in documents, presentations, reports or communication formats inside the university.

The Visual Identity Manual documents norms, details, applications, and restrictions that must be taken intoconsideration when using the logo-symbols. This way people or external entities can participate in the development of a conceptual graphic unity of the institution as well as getting acquainted with such information. Also, this tool will aid others on how to apply adequately the image and avoid the incorrect use that may distort it.

Information for the Media

Press Kit - This is the press kit designed by the institution, in which the official information and the messages of CESA addressed to the media can be found. (Available in Spanish Only)