Founded in the early 16th Century, Alcalá was the world´s first planned University City. It was the original model for the ideal urban community that Spanish culture brought to the Americas and served as model for universities in Europe and elsewhere. Today, with 29000 students and 3000 staff, including over 2100 academic staff and researchers, 9 Faculties and Schools and 10 research institutes, Alcalá is a globally connected comprehensive and research-oriented mid-size university with deep humanistic roots.
 
Located in the Metropolitan Area of Madrid, and even closer to its main international airport, the University remains a world benchmark for the teaching of Spanish language and culture. The harmonious combination of university life with the offer of a vibrant European capital such as Madrid only adds to Alcala’s worldwide recognized capacity for attracting international students to its classrooms.
 
As a comprehensive university, and an influential body in civil society, we aim at providing students not just with the right skills that allow them to work more effectively, preventing labor market mismatches, and laying the ground for research and development and firm-based innovation. We also pay particular attention to a solid academic acquisition of knowledge, transversal skills, and critical thinking in an interdisciplinary and international environment, helping thus our graduates in creating cohesive and tolerant communities.