Pontifical Catholic Univ. invests $8.5M in new Bayamón metro campus
The Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico (PUCPR) announced it will expand into the island’s metropolitan region through an affiliation with Universidad Central de Bayamón (UCB), securing the future of the financially troubled institution with an initial investment of $8.5 million.
Under the agreement, UCB will transition over two years to become PUCPR’s metro campus. The move will strengthen Catholic higher education on the island and safeguard academic continuity for UCB students, school officials said.
“This affiliation agreement will allow us to continue UCB’s operations and protect an important academic space,” said PUCPR President José Antonio Frontera-Agenjo.
Beginning July 1, PUCPR will take over administrative and operational control of UCB, launching a transition aimed at aligning academic offerings and strategic goals. During this period, UCB will retain its name, and students will continue their current academic programs without interruption.
PUCPR said it is already identifying areas of academic synergy, particularly in business, science, nursing and logistics. The university aims to expand specialized programs such as logistics and transportation — a field it described as unique in the region.
UCB’s academic faculty is expected to resume duties for the start of the 2025-26 academic year in August. Some vacant administrative positions will be filled by PUCPR staff to ensure service continuity, with further staffing and budget adjustments to be made as needed.
As part of the integration, PUCPR will also absorb UCB’s $5 million operational debt, which had placed the institution’s viability at risk. The affiliation was approved by the Puerto Rico Board of Postsecondary Institutions with the support of the Catholic Church and PUCPR’s Board of Trustees.
“This is an investment in the future,” Frontera-Agenjo said, citing plans to increase enrollment at the Bayamón campus from 500 to 750 students within two years. He added that while a slight tuition increase is expected, it will remain within the limits of federal financial aid.
PUCPR currently serves more than 7,000 students across its campuses in Ponce, Mayagüez and Arecibo.
