Historia

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History

The CEU Cardenal Herrera University (Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera, or CEU UCH) is part of the Fundación CEU San Pablo, an educational, not-for-profit foundation which has more than 80 years of experience in the education sector.The Fundación CEU San Pablo (FUSP-CEU) was born out of the Asociación Católica de Propagandistas (ACdP), an organization founded by Father Ángel Ayala in 1908.

FUSP-CEU began life in 1933, and it now has 25 educational facilities at which more than 190 educational programmes are taught, from early-year education through to postgraduate studies, and also including vocational training. FUSP-CEU has a presence in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Murcia, Alicante, Vigo, Jerez, Elche, Seville and Valladolid.

The foundation of the CEU Cardenal Herrera University was approved by Valencia's regional parliament in 1999, but FUSP-CEU began its educational activities in Valencia in 1971.
After that first year of providing a programme of pre-university studies (then known as COU), it then became a college associated with the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV). Afterwards, the number of educational programmes at CEU UCH continued to grow, enabling it to be become the first private university in the Valencia region, the Comunitat Valenciana. Our Elche Campus opened in 1994-95, with the Castellón Campus following in 2007-08. CEU UCH is the only private university to possess campuses in the three provinces which make up the Comunitat Valenciana.

The CEU Cardenal Herrera University has also led the way in the Comunitat Valenciana with degrees in Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy, Journalism, Advertising and Public Relations, and Audiovisual Communication.

Timeline

  1. July 1971
    First CEU San Pablo general academic staff meeting in Valencia
  2. September 1971
    Commencement of CEU’s activities in Valencia, teaching pre-university studies (COU)
  3. September 1972
    Commencement of undergraduate studies for the Pharmacy Degree
  4. September 1973
    Relocation from Calle Trinitarios to the Seminario building in Moncada
  5. September 1978
    Commencement of the Degree in Law
  6. September 1986
    Commencement of the Degree in Journalism
  7. September 1987
    Inauguration of the Industrial Design School
  8. September 1989
    Commencement of the Degree in Advertising and Public Relations
  9. September 1991
    Commencement of the Degree in Audiovisual Communication
  10. September 1994
    Inauguration of the Elche Campus, with Business Administration being among the study programs on offer
  11. September 1995
    Commemoration of the institution’s 25th anniversary
  12. September 1996
    Commencement of the Degree in Veterinary Medicine
  13. September 1998
    The Board of Trustees of the CEU San Pablo University Foundation approves the creation of the CEU Cardenal Herrera University
  14. April 1999
    Inauguration of the Business School at the Palacio de Colomina in Valencia
  15. September 1999
    Inauguration of the Alfara del Patriarca Building
  16. December 1999
    The law establishing the CEU Cardenal Herrera University is passed
  17. September 2000
    The University begins offering studies in Nursing, Physiotherapy and Architecture
  18. September 2001
    The Dentistry Clinic begins operation, in order to facilitate students’ practical training. The Veterinary Hospital also opens its doors and the first students enrol in Political Science and Administration.
  19. June 2004
    Dr Stanley G. Payne and Dr Andrea Riccardi receive honorary doctorates September - Commencement of studies in the Business area in Alfara del Patriarca
  20. September 2004
    Commencement of studies in the Business area in Alfara del Patriarca
  21. June 2005
    Dr. Joaquín Navarro Valls and Dr. Stanley B. Prusiner receive honorary doctorates September - The Elche Campus adds Physiotherapy, Advertising and Public Relations and Computer Engineering to the range of studies it offers.
  22. March 2006
    The Most Reverend Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo receives an honorary doctorate June - Inauguration of the licenced animal husbandry unit
  23. July 2007
    Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera and Dr Nora D. Volkow receive honorary doctorates
  24. September 2007
    Commencement of the Diploma in Nursing program in Castellón
  25. January 2009
    José María Aznar receives an honorary doctorate
  26. September 2010
    The Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine is added to the range of studies offered in Castellón. The Early Years Education and Primary Education programs begin to be provided across the three CEU UCH campuses. All the old degree programs (licenciaturas and diplomaturas) now become Bachelor’s Degrees (grados) in accordance with the directives of the European Higher Education Area
  27. March 2013
    Dr Valentín Fuster de Carulla receives an honorary doctorate
  28. June 2013
    Inauguration of the CEU Cardenal Herrera University’s new Elche Campus 
  29. September 2013
    Commencement of the teaching of the Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine (Grado en Medicina, in English and Spanish) on the CEU Cardenal Herrera University’s Valencia Campus.
  30. April 2014
    Dr Mario Moretti Polegato receives an honorary doctorate 
  31. October 2014
    Cardinal Santos Abril y Castelló receives an honorary doctorate
  32. May 2015
    The foundation stones of the Faculty of Health Sciences and the veterinary hospital, the Hospital Clínico Veterinario, are laid.
  33. May 2017
    Blessing and inauguration of the Faculty of Health Sciences building
  34. October 2017
    The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine receives full accreditation from the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE).
  35. January 2018
    Laying and blessing of the foundation stone of the development work on the Alfara del Patriarca campus
  36. March 2020
    Start of online classes due to the lockdown caused by COVID.
  37. September 2021
    Opening of 'Hyflex' classrooms for dual attendance.
  38. January 2022
    Awarded the European CeQUINT certificate, which accredits the quality of our internationalization
  39. July 2022
    50th Anniversary of CEU UCH and the Faculty of Pharmacy.
  40. July 2023
    Accreditation of the University's Internal Quality Assurance System: Faculty of Health Sciences (Valencia, Elche and Castellón), ESET (School of Architecture, Engineering and Design), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Faculty of the Humanities and Communication Sciences - Valencia
  41. July 2023
    Institutional accreditation of ESET (School of Architecture, Engineering and Design) and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
  42. April 2024
    50th Anniversary of CEU's presence in Castellón
  43. May 2024
    Award of an honorary doctorate (honoris causa) to José Manuel Otero Novas
  44. June 2024
    CEU UCH celebrates the 25th anniversary of students graduating in 1999: graduations: Faculty of Communication Sciences (Journalism, Advertising and Public Relations, Audiovisual Communication); Law; Pharmacy; Photography and Design
  45. June 2024
    Full accreditation of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine by the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE)
  46. June 2024
    International Seal of Quality (SIC) from ANECA for the Bachelor's Degree in Medicine, confirming that the it meet the quality standards of the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME)
  47. September 2024
    CEU UCH surpasses 10,000 students for the first time across 20 degree programmes
  48. September 2024
    The Faculties of Law, Business and Political Science (Valencia) and Humanities and Communication Sciences (Castellón) obtain ANECA’s AUDIT Certification
  49. November 2024
    CEU UCH promotes a solidarity initiative after the DANA storm, organising a memorial Mass and allocating more than 1 million euros in aid to students, staff and people affected by the flooding.
  50. May 2025
    CEU UCH celebrates 30 years of presence and growth in Elche
  51. July 2025
    The Medicine degree obtains the international WFME seal, awarded at ANECA’s Quality Recognitions ceremony.