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The Central American University "Jose Simeon Canas", known as UCA, was founded in September 1965, in the context of the optimism of the decade of development. A group of parents "Catholic" approached the government and the Society of Jesus with the intent to promote the establishment of a second university. They wanted an alternative to the University of El Salvador to train professionals to graduates of Catholic schools.

The university designed for this group of people was private, with capital and shares, and geared to meet the demands of a profession-education of an elite. They believed that a Catholic university in these terms would contribute greatly to the cultural advancement of the Salvadoran people. To counteract the elitism, proposed to offer some scholarships.

In addition to these general considerations on what should be the university, it is important to emphasize the prevailing perception about the University of El Salvador. Except for medical school, generally considered high quality teaching in other schools was perceived by the economically and socially powerful groups as mediocre or poor. But what most concerned about these classes was the ideological orientation of the University of El Salvador, which was considered openly communist. The size of the intentions of anti-promoters of the new university was not spelled out publicly, but it was implied between the ruling class, without whose support had not been possible to establish the university.

The original idea of ​​the association of parents did not progress, but the Society of Jesus, who for several years contemplated the possibility of establishing a university, prompted a different alternative, at least two important points. The first is that the university would be a public benefit corporation, whose administration is responsible to a board of directors, who then reconstitute itself, in the absence of any of its members. The second is that the university would be oriented towards economic and social development in the region. In this vision there was a perception, not entirely clear, the great social injustices. The founders chose the name for college and libertarian symbol "Jose Simeon Cañas".

The University of El Salvador, which was threatened its monopoly of higher education, the political opposition, seconded, opposed to the UCA. But the government also wanted an alternative to the first and, therefore, supported the project. Their support was instrumental in getting the legislature passed the bill on private universities, the March 24, 1965 (Legislative Decree No. 244, published in the Official Journal of 30 of the same month). The following statutes were developed (Executive Agreement No. 06173, September 1, 1965, published in the Official Journal, September 13, 1965), when the first board of directors, composed of five Jesuits, became the official opening September 15 and began classes with 357 students, local Don Rua, provided by the Salesians, in early 1966.

Based on a previous study, the UCA started the careers of economics, business administration and industrial engineering (electrical, mechanical and chemical). The humanities courses and training for middle school teachers were provided, but were postponed. Indeed, the Faculty of Science of Man and Nature was founded until 1969, with courses in philosophy, psychology and literature. From the beginning it was thought that graduates in these disciplines contribute to the transformation of the education system. In this line, offered in three runs short of three years to earn the title of professor of secondary education in arts and sciences. A second reason to open this branch of knowledge was established that racing until then, rather pragmatic in nature, should integrate into their curricula and humanizing humanistic subjects in order to provide comprehensive training.

They chose the name of science of man and nature to suggest the necessary link between science and interdisciplinary basic and profound of all scientific knowledge. The creation of this power meant an important intellectual dynamism to the UCA, as well as incorporating the humanistic dimension, opened new perspectives to the work of a university and forced to review what has been done before.