Universidad Pontificia Comillas de Madrid is a university in Madrid, Spain with approximately 10,000 students.

It is involved in a number of academic exchange programmes, work practice schemes and international projects with over 200 Higher Education Institutions in Europe, Latin America, North America and Asia.

Faculties

• Faculty of Theology
• Faculty of Canon Law
• Faculty of Human and Social Sciences
• Superior Technical School of Engineering (ICAI)
• Faculty of Economics and Business Administration (ICADE)
• Faculty of Law
• University School of Nursing and Physiotherapy

History

Pope Leo XIII founded the Seminary of San Antonio de Padua in 1890 in the town of Comillas (Province of Santander, Spain) in response to efforts made by the Marquis of Comillas to build an institution for educating candidates to the priesthood. At the time of its foundation, the Seminary was entrusted to the Society of Jesus. In 1904, the Universidad Pontificia was established when Pope Pius X granted “COMILLAS” the power to confer academic degrees in Theology, Philosophy and Canon Law.

During the sixties, the University was transferred to Madrid, where its doors were opened to a range of students. Thus, the old Faculty of Philosophy became the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, which conferred degrees in Philosophy, Psychology and Education. These degrees are fully recognised by the Spanish State.

In 1908 the “Instituto Católico de Artes e Industrias” (ICAI) was founded in Madrid and its study programmes were officially recognised by the Spanish Government in 1957. In 1956, the Society of Jesus had approved the establishment of the “Instituto Católico de Administración y Dirección de Empresas” (ICADE) which conferred degrees in Law and in Economics and Business Administration. With a view to constituting a Roman Catholic University with a wider range of academic disciplines, ICAI and ICADE joined the Universidad Pontificia Comillas de Madrid in 1979.

In 1982, the University incorporated the "San Vicente de Paúl" School of Social Work, which became the “Escuela Universitaria de Trabajo Social” in 1983. The “School of Computer Sciences” and the “School of Nursing ‘San Juan de Díos’", were incorporated in 1988. In recent years, new study and research centres and institutes have been created (The Institute of Postgraduate and Continuing Education, Comillas International Institute).

In 1995 the ecclesiastical degrees in Theology, Philosophy and Canon Law were recognised for law purposes, and the Bachelor in Theology degree was equated with the Degree in Ecclesiastical Studies.

In 1998 the “Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales” became the “Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería, ICAI” and assimilated the studies provided by the “Escuela Universitaria de Ingeniería Técnica Industrial” and the “Escuela Universitaria de Informática”, which were suppressed.