Established in 2006, Universidad Politecnica Estatal del Carchi (State Polytechnic University of Carchi) is a non-profit public higher-education institution located in the small city of Tulcan (population range of 50,000-249,999 inhabitants), Carchi. Officially recognized by the Consejo de Aseguramiento de la Calidad de la Educación Superior del Ecuador (Council for Quality Assurance of Higher Education of Ecuador), Universidad Politecnica Estatal del Carchi (UPEC) is a coeducational Ecuadorian higher education institution. Universidad Politecnica Estatal del Carchi (UPEC) offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees in several areas of study. UPEC also provides several academic and non-academic facilities and services to students including a library, as well as administrative services.