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EspañolNATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
The 'National Autonomous University of Mexico'
(Spanish: , abbreviated as 'UNAM') is a public university born as the ''Real y Pontificia Universidad de México'' (Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico), is the second oldest University in the Americas just behind the National University of San Marcos in Lima, Peru (May the 12th of 1551).
It is the largest university in Latin America and is ranked the best in Latin America, Spain and Portugal according to a study conducted by ''The Times'' released in 2005-2006. A study by Peking University also considered UNAM to be the best university in the region and also the sole most important university in the Spanish-speaking world.
In addition, it is the only university in Mexico with three Nobel Laureates among its former students: Alfonso García Robles (Peace), Octavio Paz (Literature), and Mario Molina (Chemistry). (There is arguably a fourth Nobel Prize awarded twice to a UNAM member: Ana María Cetto was awarded the 1995 Nobel Peace Prize as a member of the Pugwash Conferences and the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize as a member of the IAEA).
UNAM's Autonomy, gained in the 1920's, has given it the freedom to define its own curricula and manage its own budget without interference from the government. This has had a profound effect on academic life at the University, known for its academic freedom and independence.
History
It was founded in September the 21st 1551 by Royal Decree signed by the king of Spain Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (Charles I of Spain), at Valladolid, Spain.
Campus
University City
Main articles: Ciudad Universitaria
''Ciudad Universitaria'' ("University City") is UNAM's main campus, located in Coyoacán borough in the southern part of Mexico City. Designed by architects Mario Pani, Enrique del Moral, Domingo García Ramos, and others, it encloses the Estadio Olímpico Universitario, about 40 faculties and institutes, the Cultural Center, an ecological reserve, the Central Library, and a few museums. It was built during the 1950s on an ancient solidified lava bed to replace the scattered buildings in downtown Mexico City where classes were given. It was completed in 1954 and is almost a separate region within Mexico City, with its own regulations, councils, and police (to some extent) in a more fundamental way than most universities around the world. Law enforcement officials from outside the University are not allowed to enter without the consent of the university authorities, namely the rector.
In June, 2007, its main campus, Ciudad Universitaria, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. [UNESCO http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/364]
Satellite Campuses
UNAM Central Library
The library of the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
Apart from Ciudad Universitaria, UNAM has several campuses in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City (Acatlán, Aragón, Cuautitlán, Iztacala and Zaragoza), as well as many others in several locations across Mexico (in Santiago de Queretaro mainly aimed at research and graduate studies), and four foreign campuses at San Antonio (Texas, USA), Chicago (Illinois, USA) and Gatineau (Quebec, Canada).
External buildings of interest
Palacio de Minería
Under the care of UNAM's Engineering Faculty, this beautiful colonial Palace of Mining is located in the historical center of Mexico City. Formerly the School of Engineering, it has three floors, and houses the International Book Expo ("Feria Internacional del Libro" or "FIL") and the International Day of Computing Security Congress ("DISC"), among regular events. It also has a permanent exhibition of historical books, mostly topographical and naturalist works of 19th century Mexican scientists, in the former library of the School of Engineers. It has also several exhibits related to mining, the prime engineering occupation during the Spanish colonization. It is considered one of the jewels of Mexican architecture of its period.
Casa del Lago
House of the Lake, in Chapultepec Park – a place devoted to cultural activities like dancing, plays and ballet. It also serves as meeting place for University related organizations and committees.
Museo de San Ildefonso
A baroque building in downtown Mexico City, held the first schools that later became UNAM.
Museo Universitario del Chopo
With an art deco architecture, large crystal panels and a couple of iron towers designed by Gustave Eiffel, it held the National Museum of Natural History for almost 50 years, now devoted to temporary exhibits of visual arts.
Observatorio Astronómico Nacional
The National Astronomical Observatory is located in the San Pedro Mártir Sierra in Baja California, about 130 km south of the border with the United States. It has been in operation since 1970 and it currently boasts three large reflecting telescopes, with plans for installing a large instrument sensitive to milimetric wavelengths already under way.
Organization
It consists of faculties rather than departments. Both undergraduate and graduate studies are available. UNAM is also responsible for the Escuela Nacional Preparatoria (ENP) (National Preparatory School), and the Colegio de Ciencias y Humanidades (CCH), which consist of several high schools, spread around Mexico City. Counting ENEP, CCH, undergraduate and graduate students, UNAM has over 269,000 students, making it one of the world's largest universities.
Students and Faculty
Research
UNAM has excelled in many areas of research and houses many of Mexico's premiere research institutions. In recent years it has attracted students and hired first-rate scientists from all over the world (most notably the ex-Soviet Union, India and USA) and has created a uniquely diverse scientific community.
Scientific research at UNAM is divided between Faculties, Institutes, Centers and Schools, and covers a range of disciplines unmatched in Latin America. Some of the more noted Institutes include: Instituto de Astronomía, Instituto de Biotecnología, Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Instituto de Ecología, Instituto de Física, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Instituto de Geofísica, Instituto de Ingeniería, Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales, Instituto de Química.
Research Centers tend to focus on multidisciplinary problems particularly relevant to Mexico and the developing world, most notably: Centro de Ciencias Aplicadas y Desarrollo Tecnológico (CCADET) which focuses on connecting the sciences to real-world problems (e.g. optics, nanosciences) and Centro de Investigación en Energía which does world-class research in alternative energies.
All research centers are open to students from anywhere in Mexico, and from anywhere else in the world.
UNAM's scientific output continues to grow at a remarkable pace, despite numerous attempts by the Mexican government to curtail its budget, and the University currently produces 60% of all scientific publications in Mexico.
In the basic sciences, UNAM currently has two Howard Hughes Medical Institute Scholars and endowment from the NIH extramural research program.
Sports, clubs, and traditions
Professional football team
Olympic Stadium
UNAM's soccer team ''Club Universidad Nacional'' participates in the First Division of the Fútbol League. The ''Pumas'', as the team is known as, were back to back champions (''Apertura'' '04 - ''Clausura'' '04). They play at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario.
Political Activism
UNAM students and professors are regarded around Mexico as very politically aware, and sometimes very politically active. The general tendency of the University is left-wing, with several socialist, anarchist and communist movements emerging from university students and staff. However, the university holds a great diversity and also houses people of other political inclinations. It is the alma mater of several prominent right-wing and neo-liberal politicians as Carlos Salinas de Gortari or Manuel Gomez Morin.
The UNAM is arguably the place with more active political discussion in Mexico, mostly on behalf of faculty members some which are influential people in Mexican politics. Political debate of national and international issues is very much encouraged, raising the political awareness of the students, providing solid leadership and nurturing such a diversity of ideas leading in some extent to the creation of several groups supporting both, left and right wing ideological platforms.
Noted alumni
:See also
Many of the most prominent figures in the economical, political, scientific and artistic life in Mexico have been either UNAM alumni or faculty:
Presidents of a nation
★ Carlos Salinas de Gortari (President of Mexico 1988–1994)
★ Miguel de la Madrid Hurtado (President of Mexico 1982–1988)
★ José López Portillo y Pacheco (President of Mexico 1976–1982)
★ Luis Echeverría Álvarez (President of Mexico 1970–1976)
★ Miguel Alemán Valdés (President of Mexico 1946–1952)
★ Abel Pacheco de la Espriella (President of Costa Rica 2002–2006)
★ Alfonso Portillo (President of Guatemala 2000–2004)
Politicians
★ Antonio Carrillo Flores (cabinet minister in several previous administrations)
★ Andrés Manuel López Obrador (Head of Government of the Federal District from 2000 to 2005)
★ Alan Cranston (U.S. Senator from California)
★ Alfonso Caso
★ Álvaro García Linera, vice-president of Bolivia.
★ Veton Surroi, Kosovo Publicist and Leader of Kosovar Party ORA
Writers and humanists
★ Alfonso Reyes
★ Jaime Torres Bodet
★ Adolfo Sánchez Vázquez
★ Elena Poniatowska
★ Salvador Elizondo
★ Carlos Fuentes
★ Enrique Krauze
★ Carlos Monsiváis
★ José Emilio Pacheco
★ Fernando del Paso
★ Octavio Paz (Literature Nobel Prize, 1990. Never graduated)
★ Alfonso García Robles (Nobel Prize in peace, 1982)
★ Jaime Sabines (Poet)
★ Alfonso Caso
★ Subcomandante Marcos
★ Audre Lorde
★ Jorge Volpi
Scientists
★ Luis E. Miramontes (Co-inventor of the contraceptive pill)
★ Dr. Rodolfo Neri Vela (First Mexican in Space)
★ Dr. Mario J. Molina (Nobel Prize winner, 1995)
★ Dr. Guillermo Haro (Astronomer, co-discoverer of Herbig-Haro objects)
★ Dr. Carlos Frenk (Astronomer, Pioneer in simulations of large scale structure)
★ Dr. Carlos Frenk (Soil Mechanics expert, nuclear energy advisor and former President of UNAM)
★ Dr. Miguel Jose Yacaman (Physicist)
★ Dr. Miguel Alcubierre (Theoretical and computational physicist, see Alcubierre metric)
★ Dr. Marcos Moshinsky (Theoretical physicist)
★ Antonio Lazcano (Notable biologist in the origin of life field)
★ Dr. Víctor Neumann-Lara (Pioneer in Graph Theory in Mexico)
★ Salvador Zubiran (Physician, Founder of the National Institute of Nutrition)
Tycoons
★ Carlos Slim Helú (Richest Person in the World, 2007 Forbes)
Sports stars
★ Hugo Sanchez One of Mexico's most acknowledged soccer players
Noted faculty
:''See also ''
★ Max Cetto Architect
★ Alejandro Corichi Astrophysicist
★ Axel Didriksson Writer education researcher
★ Erich Fromm German-born philosopher and social psychologist
★ Paul Kirchhoff Anthropologist and ethnohistorian, one of the founders of anthropologic studies at UNAM
★ José Gaos Philosopher
★ Jorge González Torres, politician, former presidential candidate
★ José Miguel Insulza, Chilean politician, secretary of the Organization of American States
★ Kiyoto Ota Sculptor
★ Arturo Rosenblueth Physiologist
★ Adolfo Sánchez Vázquez Spanish-born philosopher
★ Sara Sefchovich Writer
★ Manuel Vallarta Physicist, cosmic ray researcher
★ Miguel de Icaza Mexican free-software programmer, best known for starting the GNOME and Mono (software) projects.)
★ Javier Corral Politician, one of the main opposers against the Ley Televisa
University Ranking
Source: The Times Higher Education Supplement 2005 edition (London). It coincides with other worldwide recognized ranking lists.
★ 1st in Latin America, Spain and Portugal
★ 20th best in the field of the Arts and Humanities
★ 93rd best in the field of the Sciences
★ 74th best university in the world (all fields)
★ 28th best university outside of North America and Europe
See also
★ XHUNAM-TV ("Teveunam", UNAM's educational and cultural television channel)
★ DGSCA (Departamento de Servicios de Computo Academico, Hub of Computer Sciences/Engineering in the UNAM)
References
1. DGPL UNAM. (2006). Agenda estadística 2006. Población escolar 2005-2006. [2007]
External links
★ Official website
★ Culture
★ All UNAM Websites
★ Ciudad Universitaria - Google Maps satellite photo
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