The University of La Serena is the only State university in the Coquimbo Region and focuses its work on the areas of Sciences, Technology, Humanities and Social Sciences.

Founded on March 20, 1981 from the merger of the regional headquarters of the University of Chile and the former Technical University of the State, the University of La Serena has as part of its mission to develop mainly training programs for professionals and postgraduates, privileging its quality both in academics and values, and promoting in its students a critical and responsible vision of their environment.

Among the objectives of this house of studies is to contribute to the generation of knowledge, through focused research, preferably associated with regional themes, and through artistic creation. In the missionary aspect of the relationship with the environment, the University of La Serena contributes, from the diversity of its work, to the improvement of the processes of public and private institutions, to the preservation and dissemination of culture and social well-being. The University of La Serena, in the course of its history, has progressively diversified its coverage of services and is currently developing activities on six campuses, four located in La Serena, one in Coquimbo and one in Ovalle.

Likewise, it teaches undergraduate programs in eight areas of knowledge, as well as master's and doctorate programs, in addition to conducting scientific and technological research in various areas.