Established in 1970, Universidad Tecnica Luis Vargas Torres (Luis Vargas Torres Technical University) is a non-profit public higher-education institution located in the small city of Esmeraldas (population range of 50,000-249,999 inhabitants). 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 Tecnica Luis Vargas Torres (UTELVT) is a coeducational Ecuadorian higher education institution. Universidad Tecnica Luis Vargas Torres (UTELVT) offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees in several areas of study. UTELVT also provides several academic and non-academic facilities and services to students including a library, as well as administrative services.