Universidad de Especialidades Espíritu Santo (UEES) is a non-profit private university located in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Founded by Dr. Carlos Ortega Maldonado, it was accredited by CONESUP,[1] then the Ecuadorian higher education governing agency. UEES was legally founded in 1993, approved by the Ecuadorian higher Education governing agency (CONESUP) and by then Ecuadorian President Sixto Durán-Ballén. A year later, the opening ceremony was held and UEES was officially inaugurated. Dr. Carlos Ortega Maldonado was appointed as the first Chancellor. Initially, UEES offered career programs through its College of Economics and Business Science and its first group of students registered as full-time students in 1995, some of whom were granted merit-based scholarships (Plan Talento). The College of Law, Policy, and Development was founded in 1997 and the International Degree Program was created for students wishing to study entirely in English while at UEES and to transfer credits and complete their studies at any international or English-speaking university.