List of universities in Timor-Leste

National University of Timor-Leste central campus, 2023

This is a list of universities and other higher education institutions in Timor-Leste. Timor-Leste has one public national university, Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e, established in 2000 to replace the Indonesian-era Universitas Timor Timur and Dili Polytechnic. The country also has a number of private universities, including the Dili Institute of Technology, the Institute of Business, Instituto Superior Cristal, Joao Saldanha University, Universidade Dili, Universidade Oriental Timor Lorosa'e, and Universidade da Paz. A Catholic university, Universidade Católica Timorense, was established in 2021. All of Timor-Leste's universities are based in the capital, Dili, but several also have satellite campuses in other locations.

In addition to universities, Timor-Leste also has a number of specialized higher education institutions. There are several technical schools, including the East Timor Coffee Institute  [ de ], Instituto Dom Boaventura de Timor-Leste, Instituto Ciência da Saúde, Instituto Profissional de Canossa, and the government-run Instituto Politécnico de Betano. Timor-Leste has three teacher training institutes, Instituto Católico para Formação de Professores, Instituto São João de Brito, and Instituto Universitário Naroman Esperansa. There are also several theological institutions, including Instituto de Ciências Religiosas, Instituto Filosófico de São Francisco de Sales, Instituto Superior de Filosofia e de Teologia, and St. Peter and St. Paul Major Seminary. The government also operates the Instituto da Defesa Nacional to provide higher education to members of the military.

Most of Timor-Leste's institutions of higher education are accredited by the National Agency for Academic Assessment and Accreditation (ANAAA), part of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Culture.

Universities

Institution	Acronym	Location(s)	Control	Founded	Accreditation
Dili Institute of Technology	DIT	Dili, Baucau, Pante Macassar [1]	Private	2002 [2]	ANAAA [3]
East Timor Institute of Business	IOB	Dili, Maliana [4]	Private	2002 [2]	ANAAA [3]
Instituto Superior Cristal	ISC	Dili, Aileu, Baucau, Same [5]	Private	2001 [2]	ANAAA [3]
Joao Saldanha University	JSU	Hera [6]	Private	2015 [2]	ANAAA [7]
Universidade Católica Timorense	UCT	Dili [8]	Private	2021 [8]	ANAAA [9]
Universidade Dili	UNDIL	Dili [10]	Private	2002 [2]	ANAAA [11]
Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e	UNTL	Dili, Hera [12]	Public	1986, 2000 [2]	ANAAA [13]
Universidade Oriental Timor Lorosa'e	UNITAL	Dili [14]	Private	2002 [2]	ANAAA [11]
Universidade da Paz	UNPAZ	Dili, Ermera, Liquiçá, Suai [15]	Private	2004 [2]	ANAAA [3]

Other institutions

Institution	Acronym	Location(s)	Control	Founded	Accreditation
East Timor Coffee Institute	ETCI	Gleno [16]	Private	2003 [2]	ANAAA [11]
Instituto Católico para Formação de Professores	ICFP	Baucau [2]	Private	2003 [17]	ANAAA [17]
Instituto da Defesa Nacional	IDN	Dili [18]	Public	2010 [19]
Instituto Dom Boaventura de Timor-Leste	IBTL	Same [20]	Private	2020 [2]	ANAAA [7]
Instituto Ciência da Saúde	ICS	Dili [21]	Private	2005 [2]	ANAAA [22]
Instituto Filosófico de São Francisco de Sales	IFFS	Dili [23]	Private	2012 [2]	ANAAA [11]
Instituto Politécnico de Betano	IPB	Betano [24]	Public	2017 [24]	ANAAA [7]
Instituto Profissional de Canossa	IPDC	Dili [25]	Private	2003 [2]	ANAAA [3]
Instituto São João de Brito	ISJB	Kasait [26]	Private	2016 [26]	ANAAA [7]
Instituto Superior de Filosofia e de Teologia	ISFIT	Dili [27]	Private	2013 [28]	ANAAA [11]
Instituto Universitário Naroman Esperansa	IUNE	Gleno [29]	Private	2023 [29]
St. Peter and St. Paul Major Seminary	SPEPAL	Dili [30]	Private	2000 [30]

Defunct institutions

• Dili Polytechnic (1990–1999), merged into the new Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e ^[31]
• Institut Pastoral Indonesia St. Thomas Aquinas Filial Dili (1986–1999), Catholic institute affiliated with the Institut Pastoral Indonesia  [ id ] in Malang ^[32]
• Instituto de Ciências Religiosas (1988–2021), merged into the new Universidade Católica Timorense ^{[3] [33]}
• Sekolah Perawat Kesehatan di Dili (1980–1999) ^{[34] [35]}
• Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi Dili (1998–1999), predecessor of Universidade Dili ^[36]
• Universitas Timor Timur (1986–1999), merged into the new Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e ^[31]

References

1. "DIT | Dili Institute of Technology". Dili Institute of Technology. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
2. Leandro, Francisco José B. S.; Martínez-Galán, Enrique; Gonçalves, Paulo (2 September 2023). Portuguese-speaking Small Island Developing States: The Development Journeys of Cabo Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Timor-Leste. Singapore: Springer Nature. p. 340. ISBN   978-981-99-3382-2.
3. "Akreditasaun Institusionál" [Institutional Accreditation]. ANAAA. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
4. "Institute of Business". Institute of Business. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
5. "Instituto Superior Cristal". Instituto Superior Cristal. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
6. "His Excellency Minister of Higher Education, Science and Culture participated in the launching of Groundbreaking for the João Saldanha University Building in Usleu, Hera". MESCC. 15 February 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
7. Sousa, Camilio de (1 August 2023). "The Master of Accounting program at IOB received three recommendations from ANAAA". TATOLI. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
8. Poce, Anna (12 December 2021). "Timor Leste tem sua primeira Universidade católica" [Timor-Leste has its first Catholic university]. Vatican News (in Portuguese). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
9. "A UCT Conquista a Acreditação Institucional de Nível A" [UCT Achieves Level A Institutional Accreditation]. Universidade Católica Timorense - Facebook (in Portuguese). 10 March 2025. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
10. Fernandes, Nelia (29 November 2019). "UNDIL Sei Gradua Estudante Finalista Na'in 603" [UNDIL Will Graduate 603 Finalist Students]. TATOLI. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
11. "Resultados da Avaliação e Acreditação Institucional do Ensino Superior de 2019" [Results of the Higher Education Institutional Assessment and Accreditation of 2019](PDF). Jornal da República (2019: 48): 3–5. 10 December 2019 – via ANAAA.
12. Coghlan, Mary; Robertson, Sabina (29 May 2013). "Creating a library of the future: Universidade Nacionál Timor Lorosa'e (UNTL) journey of rebuilding its University Library for the 21st century" (PDF). IFLA. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
13. Sousa, Camilio de (17 March 2023). "MHESC and NAAAA officially launched IAPA for the year 2023". TATOLI. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
14. Martins, Filomeno (16 August 2021). "ANAAA launches second phase of university programs accreditation". TATOLI. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
15. "Istoria hahu Universidade da Paz" [History of Universidade da Paz]. Universidade da Paz. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
16. "Prime Minister monitors coffee production in Ermera". Government of Timor-Leste. 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
17. "About ICFP". ICFP. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
18. "Instituto da Defesa Nacional". Instituto da Defesa Nacional. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
19. "Enquadramento Legal" [Legal Framework]. Instituto da Defesa Nacional (in Portuguese). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
20. "MESCC visitou o Instituto Boaventura de Timor-Leste" [MESCC visited the Boaventura Institute of Timor-Leste]. MESCC. 11 August 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
21. "The Institute of Health Sciences". Timor-Leste Journal of Medical Science. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
22. Abi, Mariano (19 March 2023). "ANAAA Lansa Akreditasaun Institusionál Programátiku 2023" [ANAAA Launches 2023 Programmatic Institutional Accreditation]. Timor Post. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
23. "Contacto". Instituto Filosófico de São Francisco de Sales. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
24. "Government inaugurates first institute of higher education on the South Coast". Government of Timor-Leste. 27 February 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
25. Dagur, Ryan (19 May 2021). "Timor-Leste govt gives major boost to 900 poor students". UCA News. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
26. "Instituto São João de Brito moves to its permanent home". Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific. 20 March 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
27. "E-Learning ISFIT". E-Learning ISFIT. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
28. "História". ISFIT (in Portuguese). 6 August 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
29. Kelly, Claudia (3 April 2023). "A new generation of teachers for Timor-Leste is launched!". Nazaret Global Education. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
30. Ora, Thomas (13 March 2018). "The pioneering prelate of Timor-Leste". UCA News. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
31. "Decree-Law No. 16/2010 of 20th October: Status of National University of Timor-Leste (UNTL)" (PDF). Ministry of Justice of Timor-Leste. 20 October 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
32. 20 tahun Timor Timur membangun [20 years of developing East Timor] (in Indonesian). Pemerintah Daerah Tingkat I Timor Timur. 1996. p. 189.
33. "Instituisaun Ensinu Superior Akreditadu" (PDF). Boletim ANAAA (1): 23–38. December 2021 – via ANAAA.
34. "First student congress held in Dili". East Timor Students Solidarity Council. 28 July 2000. Retrieved 17 July 2025– via ETAN.
35. "Economic and Social Development in East Timor" (PDF). Permanent Mission of the Republic of Indonesia to the United Nations. 1985. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
36. Symaco, Lorraine Pe; Hayden, Martin (23 December 2021). International Handbook on Education in Southeast Asia. Springer Nature. p. 1274. ISBN   978-981-16-8136-3.