The Universidad de Tarapacá (UTA) is a public, autonomous university located in northern Chile, with campuses in Arica and Iquique. Established on December 11, 1981, through the fusion of the Professional Institute of Arica (formerly part of the University of Chile) and the University of the North’s Arica branch, UTA serves as a key educational institution in the Arica and Parinacota, and Tarapacá regions .