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CIS University

AN AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN MADRID

CIS University (founded in 1981) is a modern, humanistic, American higher education institution.  

Our campus is located in the very heart of Madrid, in the Salamanca district, one of the best, most secure, and easily accessible areas of the city.

We offer an innovative, practical alternative to traditional Spanish universities – the American higher education model, especially characterized by the practical methodological approach, which serves to best motivate students in all of their academic endeavors.

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CIS University About us Mission

MISSION

CRITICAL AND ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT

CIS University’s mission is to provide education based on open, humanistic principles, in an international environment, which allows students to develop and contribute to a more just and responsible society. Our educational model, based on the American higher education system, contributes to the entrepreneurial spirit and facilitates job acquisition in any environment.  From a place of deep social responsibility, and built on academic excellence, we offer comprehensive programs aimed at fostering a critical spirit and intercultural awareness.

VISION

DEDICATED STUDENTS

We aspire to help our students become the humanist leaders of a global world and to have our entire educational community participate in the principles of personal and social development that contributes to the common good, including respect for, and promotion of, human rights.

CIS University About us Vision

HISTORY

EDUCATION LINKED TO SOCIAL PROJECTS

CIS UNIVERSITY was founded in Madrid in 1981.

A few years later, the university reached an academic collaboration agreement with Endicott College, located in Massachusetts, to obtain its accreditation and thus become its reference campus in Spain.

The relationship with the American university model is one of the pillars of our institution, providing our students with great possibilities of enrichment in their educational experience, both in its facilities north of Boston, and in multiple American universities in Europe, Asia and other points of interest throughout the U.S.

In 1995, in response to a vocational service inherent to CIS University, the NGO “Cruzada por los niños” was created. At first, the project was aimed at providing medical assistance to children affected by the war in the Balkans.Since 2006, most of the NGO’s efforts have focused on Africa, first with the cooperation project in the Casa do Gaiato orphanage, in Mozambique, and in recent years with the communities of the Gorongosa park, in collaboration with the Foundation Greg Carr.

In 2004 we joined the United Nations Global Compact. Since then, we have supported this initiative because its ideas fully coincide with our educational philosophy in the areas of human rights, environment, anti-corruption and labor.

In 2007, the University also created the International Studies Foundation in Madrid, and the International Studies Foundation in Florida, USA. Through these foundations, social projects and important collaboration agreements have been developed with the Real Madrid Foundation to create sports and achievement academies in Spain and the United States.

Since 2017, CIS University has an office of representation and academic extension in the city of Miami, from which different academic programs are proposed.

The University has collaborated since 2015 in projects of the Robert F. Kennedy Foundation, but it was in 2018 when it became the official headquarters of the RFK Foundation in Spain, passing along to the President of CIS University, María Díaz de la Cebosa, the presidency of the Robert F. Kennedy Spain Foundation as well.

This agreement has brought with it the official teaching and accreditation of the Human Rights course within the University’s academic program.

Currently, CIS University students have the possibility of completing their Bachelor’s studies both at our Madrid campus and at the most prestigious American universities.

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1981

Founding of CIS University.

1992

Creation of the International Management Business School.

1995

Academic Partnership with Endicott College, Beverly, Massachusetts.

1995

Founding of the NGO “Cruzada por los niños”.

1998

Official recognition as a foreign university in Spain by the Community of Madrid.

2007

Creation of the International Studies Foundation in Spain.

2011

Collaboration agreement with the Real Madrid Foundation for the creation of sports and achievement academies.

2012

International Studies Foundation expands to the United States. (International Studies Foundation, USA).

2015

Collaboration agreement as partners in Spain of the Robert F. Kennedy Foundation, USA

2016

Teaching of the Speak Truth to Power programs (schools and institutes). RFK Spain.

2016

Launch of the Access/Go American English micro-scholarship program in collaboration with the United States Embassy and the International Studies Foundation.

2018

Creation of the Robert F. Kennedy Foundation, Spain. Presidency of the María Díaz de la Cebosa Foundation, President of CIS University.

2018
2019

First edition of the Entrepreneurship Program for CIS University students, held in Miami.

2019

First CIS University edition of the UES Conference "University, Business and Society in the XXI Century".

2021
2021

Premier of the play Voices From Beyond the Dark.

2021

CIS University Podcast Launch.

2022

Third CIS University edition of the UES Conference “University, Business and Society in the XXI Century”.

2022

First edition of the Hackathon.

2022

Visit of Kerry Kennedy, President of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, to CIS University.

2023

Launch of athletes  and internship programs for Study Abroad students.

2023

First edition of the Next Job Fair sponsored by CIS University.

2023

Fourth edition of the Rastrillo 305 charity event in Miami (International Studies Foundation).

2023

Launching of CIS University Pre-college Summer Program.

MADRID-BOSTON CONNECTION

CIS University Endicott International

CIS University Endicott International is an accredited American university that was established in 1995 as a result of the collaboration agreement between CIS University and Endicott College (Boston).

Thanks to this academic agreement, CIS University students have graduated with an official American degree (Bachelor’s degree) for more than 25 years now at our Madrid campus including having the opportunity to complete their final two years at Endicott College.

Today, with new facilities and more degrees available, CIS University Endicott International is positioned as the American university of reference in Spain, and as an alternative to the Spanish university system for those students seeking a completely international experience.

QUALITY, PRESTIGE, AND FLEXIBILITY

Advantages of the American Higher Education System

The American higher education system focuses primarily on students. Methodologies are flexible and classroom assignments are varied. Students help to create their own class schedules based on their individual interests and goals. The most prestigious universities in the world follow this educational model.

The primary advantages of this system are as follows:

  • It is indeed possible to decide which subject area to pursue and commit to a major prior to beginning, yet equally feasible at any time during the first two years of the degree program. Those two initial years are mostly made up of general education courses, which all students are required to take. This, in addition to generally allowing greater flexibility, also makes the process of transferring to a different university or changing majors much simpler if necessary.
  • Students take the lead when it comes to course selection, which can be done according to each student’s personal interests and needs.
  • Student evaluation is an ongoing process throughout every semester. Written exams do not normally count for more than 20% of the final grade. The course methodology involves the practical application of concepts, and professors take the day-to-day work of each student into account while grading.