public, subsidized (owned by the State, managed by privates), and privates schools (La Serena currently holds the entirety of private schools within the Greater La Serena area). College and universities Among the universities present in La Serena are the University of La Serena, traditional university with its headquarters and four other campuses in the city; other institutions include the Universidad Central (Central University), Universidad Santo Tomás (Saint Thomas University), Universidad Tecnológica de Chile – INACAP (Technological University of Chile), and Universidad del Mar Astronomical Research La Serena holds offices for the European Southern Observatory organisation (operator of La Silla Observatory), AURA, Inc. (operator of Cerro Tololo, located in the Valle de Elqui, about 85 km east of La Serena, and Gemini observatories), and for the Carnegie Institution for Science (operator of Las Campanas Observatory). It will also be the home of the base facility of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. Twin towns – sister cities La Serena is twinned with: Changzhou, China (2016) Hawaii County, United States (1994) Kraków, Poland (1995) Millbrae, United States (1963) San Juan, Argentina Talavera de la Reina, Spain Tenri, Japan (1966) Tlalnepantla de Baz, Mexico (2002) Castuera, Spain Campanario, Spain Notable people Juana Ross Edwards (1830–1913), philanthropist Alberto Guerrero (1886–1959), composer, pianist and teacher References Notes Bibliography External links Municipality of La Serena Communes of Chile Capitals of Chilean regions Populated places established in 1544 Populated places in Elqui Province 1544 establishments in the Spanish Empire 1544 establishments in South America Coasts of Coquimbo Region Populated coastal places in Chile