Purpose: The central question that this article proposes to answer is what identity has the Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia forged and what continuities and discontinuities does it present throughout its operation? Since the University, like all of its kind, is a complex organization that has multiple dimensions derived from its mission, it is not possible to take them all into account. Description: This succinct presentation focuses only on institutional identity, which traverses the University’s historical trajectory. Point of view: It is interesting to clarify if the history of the Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia has been a testimony of fidelity to its roots, origin of its identity, and if its mottos of "A university, a whole country" and "Sailing together", express its vocation and destiny, born of the intentionality of its founders. Conclusions: Traces of institutional identity are explored with a useful analytical framework to historically review the conformation and role of Indesco, the Institute of Social Economy and Cooperativism, that later became Indesco University and later on, a University.

This article discusses the relation between liberty and security and the role fears play when obstructing their articulation. The central thesis argues that the higher the impact fears would have on society, the more restricted the expressions of liberty and security tend to be, thus deteriorating democratic principles. The argument goes from the features fears currently have to their causes and consequences. This article moves within a theoretical argumentation, whose empirical findings shall be the object of research in a subsequent phase. Data will show the directionality of priority attention. Conclusions lead to a discussion upon the role of the State and its institutions and upon the role civil and community organizations play towards the orientation of public policies.

Problem: The Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia functions as an institution of higher education since 1970 and currently provides services in 18 campuses to 50,000 students with 4,800 teachers. The economic, social, political and cultural transformations of the last two decades have built a new stage called world system driven by globalization and powered by the second modernity or late modernity. Universities are in the process of adapting to this scenario. The thesis presented in this paper says that the Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia is located in the space between locality and globality without further integrating them into a single entity. Methodology: The paper is a reflection that discusses the global vs. local typology and rather put the discussion on a continuum from locality to globality. This reflection is based on information from the university relating it with other Colombian and Latin American universities and international organizations. Conclusion: the Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia must recognize its role both locally and in globality and, above all, integrate it into a single space in all its dimensions, with international indicators, as an institution of higher education.