Dominican President Inaugurates New University Campus in Neiba

NEIBA, Dominican Republic – President Luis Abinader on Saturday inaugurated a new regional university center for the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) in Neiba, Bahoruco province. The facility, which becomes the university's fifth “university city,” is set to directly benefit more than 1,200 students and bolster higher education opportunities, social mobility, and regional development in the country's southwest.

During the opening ceremony, President Abinader explained that the project emerged from persistent community demand and his administration's commitment to decentralizing higher education in the southern region. He noted that despite the urgent demands of the COVID-19 pandemic at the start of his term, the plan was developed in 2021 and subsequently included in the budget, culminating in its establishment as a key academic and cultural hub for Bahoruco province and neighboring areas.

Abinader recalled that thousands of students from the south previously had to travel to Barahona or Santo Domingo for university studies. He estimated that between 1,800 and 2,000 young people commuted daily, while many others lacked the resources to travel, thereby missing out on educational opportunities. This reality, he stated, solidified his determination to bring universities to the provinces and ensure equitable access to education.

Addressing critics who questioned the construction of new universities due to a perceived shortage of professors, the head of state clarified that the aim is for professionals within each province to teach in their own communities. This approach, he asserted, strengthens educational decentralization and regional growth. “Decentralizing education also means decentralizing development,” Abinader said, emphasizing the abundance of qualified talent in all provinces ready to meet this challenge.

The president urged the new Neiba university to focus on strategic fields that will drive southern growth. He specifically mentioned tourism, with the establishment of a hotel school; civil and electronic engineering to support regional infrastructure expansion; and mining technology, particularly for the study of rare earth minerals slated for extraction in Pedernales and Independencia province. These initiatives are designed to prepare young people from the south for key roles in the region's economic development.

This initiative is part of a broader strategy that includes building university centers in Azua, Baní, and Comendador, as well as strengthening the Superior Institute of Agriculture in Bohechío, San Juan province, and the Ucateba university extension in Pedernales, Abinader added.

Concurrently, the government has advanced significant investments in healthcare, including a trauma center in Azua, a second trauma center in San Cristóbal, and a maternal and neonatal hospital in Barahona slated for an upcoming inauguration.

In terms of tourism development, President Abinader highlighted the anticipated impact of the opening of the first hotels in Pedernales and the construction of the Barahona tourist pier. He reiterated that economic progress must be accompanied by professional and human development, enabling the region's youth to assume leadership roles and secure quality jobs within their own communities.

Abinader expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved and urged the community to care for and utilize the new university infrastructure. He characterized the project as a symbol of the region's transformation from what was once known as the “deep south” into a “fertile south,” where education, health, and employment serve as foundational pillars for the nation's social and economic advancement.

Víctor Bisonó, Minister of Housing and Edifications, emphasized that the educational infrastructure represents a significant step in strengthening public education. He described the center as a comprehensive regional university designed to create opportunities for professional training, social mobility, and holistic development for young people.

Bisonó stated that the investment of approximately RD 974 million (about $16.5 million USD) reflects a commitment to the sustainable development of the southern region. The UASD Neiba Regional University Center spans 8,280 square meters (approximately 89,000 square feet) and is designed to accommodate about 1,090 students, allowing young people from Bahoruco and surrounding areas to pursue university studies locally.

The facility features a three-story academic building with 24 classrooms, four laboratories, a smart classroom, and a computer lab. An equally tall administrative building houses student services to ensure efficient academic management. It also includes an auditorium with a capacity for 322 people, a library, and a postgraduate area with five classrooms, all integrated into a modern, functional academic space aligned with current higher education demands.

Additionally, the center is equipped with a treatment plant, a multi-sport court with bleachers, a patriotic plaza, and a perimeter fence. It provides pedestrian and vehicular access, 135 parking spaces, and facilities for people with disabilities, ensuring safety, accessibility, and inclusivity.

Editrudis Beltrán Crisóstomo, Rector of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), underscored that the Neiba center solidifies the expansion of public higher education in the Dominican Republic. He attributed this achievement to the strategic alliance between the State and the UASD, known as the “UASD-State Binomial,” which aims to bring opportunities, equity, and social mobility through university access to all regions of the country.

The rector affirmed that the UASD’s expansion over the past four years has included modernization and innovation, enabling the university to establish a presence across the national territory through various centers, sub-centers, and university cities. Neiba joins established university cities in Baní, Azua, Hato Mayor, and Cotuí, with further expansion planned as part of the institutional and governmental commitment to national educational and social development.

He noted that UASD Neiba began as a sub-center on July 25, 2009, attached to the San Juan de la Maguana campus, and was elevated to a full center on March 15, 2023. It currently enrolls approximately 1,200 students. Crisóstomo emphasized that the new infrastructure provides Bahoruco's youth with a space for teaching, research, and innovation, strengthening the southwestern region's development and reaffirming that “where the UASD arrives, the homeland arrives.”

Provincial Governor María Esther Díaz Medina delivered the welcoming remarks, describing the day as historic for inaugurating a long-awaited dream that guarantees access to dignified, quality education. She acknowledged President Abinader’s vision and support for youth, crediting him with contributing to the reduction of inequalities. Díaz Medina, who recalled the sacrifices she made to travel for her own education, encouraged students to seize this opportunity with discipline, commitment, and a love for learning.

During the ceremony, the UASD Neiba Center and the Student Federation presented President Abinader with an award. The recognition honored his steadfast decision and support for the construction of the UASD University City in Neiba, highlighting its role in enhancing higher education access in the South and its transformative impact on the nation’s academic development. The distinction acknowledged that the new university city elevates higher education and creates new social, academic, and economic opportunities for Bahoruco and Independencia provinces.

Among those present were Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Franklin García Fermín; Independencia Governor Mercedes Novas; Senators Guillermo Lama of Bahoruco and Dagoberto Rodríguez of Independencia; along with other officials and dignitaries.