National Autonomous University of Mexico

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Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Motto: Por mi raza hablará el espíritu (For my race will the spirit speak)
Established September 21, 1551
Type: Public university
Endowment: U.S. $2 billion or MXN $20 thousand million Mexican pesos
President: José Narro Robles
Staff: 33,141
Students: 286,484[1]
Undergraduates: 158,824 (2006)[2]
Postgraduates: 20,747 (2006)[2]
Location Mexico City, Flag of Mexico Mexico,
Campus: Urban, 7.3 km² (1,803.86 acres), main campus only
Athletics: 40 varsity teams
Colors: Blue & Gold           
Mascot: Puma
Website: Official, stats: [1], [2]

The National Autonomous University of Mexico (Spanish: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, abbreviated UNAM) is a large public university in Mexico. It was founded on September 21, 1551 as the Real y Pontificia Universidad de México (Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico) and is the second oldest university by foundation in the Americas, just behind the National University of San Marcos in Lima, Peru (founded on May 12, 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, in 2007 the following 10 members of the UNAM were distinguished with the Nobel Peace Prize as part of the IPCC they are Carlos Gay García, Graciela Binimelis de Raga, Víctor Magaña Rueda, Cecilia Conde Álvarez, Francisco Estrada Porrúa, Ana Rosa Moreno, Blanca Jiménez, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, Omar Masera Cerutti y Carlos Anaya Merchant).

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.

Contents

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.

Main article: Ciudad Universitaria

Ciudad Universitaria ("University City") is UNAM's main campus, located within 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. [3]

UNAM Central Library
UNAM Central Library
The library of the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
The library of the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

Apart from Ciudad Universitaria, UNAM has several campi 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, Morelia, Merida, Ensenada and Cuernavaca mainly aimed at research and graduate studies), and four foreign campi at San Antonio (Texas, USA), Chicago (Illinois, USA), Los Angeles (California, USA), and Gatineau (Quebec, Canada).

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.

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.

A baroque building in downtown Mexico City, held the first schools that later became UNAM.

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.

Main article: National Astronomical Observatory (Mexico)

The National Astronomical Observatory is located in the Sierra San Pedro Mártir mountain range 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.

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.

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, IIMAS.

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.

Olympic Stadium
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.

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 is very diverse and welcomes other political inclinations. It is the alma mater of several prominent right-wing and neo-liberal politicians such as Carlos Salinas de Gortari or Manuel Gomez Morin.

The UNAM is arguably the place with the most active political discussion in Mexico, mostly by faculty members, some which are also influential in Mexican politics. Political debate on national and international issues is very much encouraged, raising the political awareness of the students, providing solid leadership, and nurturing a diversity of ideas, leading in some extent to the creation of several groups supporting both left- and right-wing ideological platforms.

See also Category:National Autonomous University of Mexico alumni

Many of the most prominent figures in the economical, political, scientific and artistic life in Mexico have been either UNAM alumni or faculty:

See also Category:National Autonomous University of Mexico faculty

Source: The Times Higher Education Supplement 2007 edition (London). It coincides with other worldwide recognized ranking lists.

198th Worldwide; 40th Without taking into account Europe, United States and Canada; 3rd Iberoamerica; 1st Hispanoamerica.

  • 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)

  1. ^ DGPL UNAM. (2006). Agenda estadística 2006. Población escolar 2005-2006. [2007]
  2. ^ Cite error 8; No text given.
  3. ^ UNESCO

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National Student Organization of American Football
Tecnológico de Monterrey • Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México • Instituto Politécnico Nacional • Fundación Universidad de las Américas, Puebla • Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León • Universidad del Tepeyac
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