National Autonomous University of Mexico 145426 225864250 2008-07-15T19:28:39Z Pacoworld 197936 /* Alleged links between UNAM and FARC */ {{Expand|date=May 2007}} {{Infobox_University |name = Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México |image = [[Image:Escudo-UNAM-escalable.svg|frameless]] |caption = Shield of the U.N.A.M. |motto = Por mi raza hablará el espíritu <br> ("For my people will the spirit speak") |established = [[September 21]], [[1551]] |type = [[Public university]] |endowment = 19,961.808.003 [[Mexican pesos]] |president = [[José Narro Robles]] |colors = Blue & Gold {{color box|Blue}}{{color box|Gold}} |city = [[Mexico City]] |country = {{flagcountry|Mexico}} |students = 286,484<ref name="uno">DGPL UNAM. (2006). [http://www.planeacion.unam.mx/agenda/2006/index.html?op=poblac Agenda estadística 2006. Población escolar 2005-2006]. [2007]</ref> |undergrad = 158,824 (2006)<ref name="uno"/> |postgrad = 20,747 (2006)<ref name="uno"/> |staff = 33,141 |campus = [[Urban area|Urban]], 7.3 km² (1,803.86 acres), main campus only |free_label = Athletics |mascot = [[Cougar|Puma]] |free = 40 varsity teams |website = [http://www.unam.mx www.unam.mx] }} '''National Autonomous University of Mexico''' ([[Spanish language|Spanish]]: "Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México"), also known as '''U.N.A.M.''' or '''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 oldest university on the North American Continent. It is the largest university in [[Latin America]]. A recent survey by [[Peking University]] considered it to be the most significant of all universities in the region, and also the most important university in the Spanish-speaking world. In addition, it is the only university in Mexico with three [[Nobel Prize]] winners among its former students: [[Alfonso García Robles]] ([[Nobel Peace Prize|Peace]]), [[Octavio Paz]] ([[Nobel Prize for Literature|Literature]]), and [[Mario Molina]] ([[Nobel Prize in Chemistry|Chemistry]]). UNAM's autonomy, granted in the 1920s, has given it the freedom to define its own curriculum and manage its own budget without interference from the government. This has had a profound effect on academic life at the university, which is known for its academic freedom and independence. ==History== [[Image:Justo Sierra.jpg|right|thumb|250px|[[Justo Sierra]], founder.]] The Royal and Pontifical Mexico University ({{lang-es|Real y Pontificia Universidad de México}}) was founded on September 21, 1551, by Royal Decree signed by [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles I of Spain]], in [[Valladolid]], [[Spain]]. Whether that institution is the direct ancestor of UNAM is disputed, but it is widely regarded as being so. After the [[Mexican War of Independence]] it lost the Royal and Pontifical title, becoming the University of Mexico. It was closed in the years of 1833, 1857, 1861 and 1865. It was not well regarded by the liberals, who called it an example of cultural lag. During the [[French intervention in Mexico|Maximilian Affair]], the University was reopened and then closed for good. Scatter institutions for the teachings of subjects like [[Medicine]] and [[Engineering]] existed. In 1867 [[Gabino Barreda]] opened the National Preparatory School ({{lang-es|Escuela Nacional Preparatoria}}), the curriculum of which would be heavily influenced by the [[positivism]] thinking of [[August Comte]]. Barreda's action extinguished the remainders of colonial education in Mexico. In 1881 [[Justo Sierra]] presented a National University creation plan for the first time, but it was rejected; his idea was to merge all major schools in Mexico in order to create one National University of Mexico. He presented his project twice more, and, in 1907, it was approved by the president of Mexico. In order for the project to be realized, numerous scholars were sent to Europe to study the mechanics of education there. Therefore, the education system in the UNAM, is more similar to traditional European system, rather than American one. And it was in 1910, during the Independence centennial, that the University was founded. As originally intended, the University enclosed all the major schools of Mexico under one name, and its original location was in the historic center of Mexico. Discussion took place in 1929 over the ruling of the university, and it was this year that it was declared an autonomous state organism. In 1950, the first stone of [[Ciudad Universitaria]] was set, and in 1954 it was finished and opened for the first time. In 1968, the Olympics were held in Mexico, and the main venue was the UNAM's Olympic Stadium. The events were overshadowed by the [[Tlatelolco massacre]], which remains an issue for the university's activist students. During the 1970's and 1980's the National Preparatory Schools (nine at the time) moved their locations from the center of Mexico City to satellite locations, in order to decentralize UNAM. Other campuses were built all around the city. ==Campuses== ===University City=== {{main|Ciudad Universitaria}} [[Image:UNAM Ciudad Universitaria.jpg|right|thumb|250 px|''The main campus at [[Mexico City]].]] "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]], [[Armando Franco Rovira]] 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. In June 2007, its main campus, [[Ciudad Universitaria]], was declared a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]]. <ref >[http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/364 UNESCO]</ref> ===Satellite campuses=== Apart from Ciudad Universitaria, UNAM has several campuses in the [[Greater Mexico City|Metropolitan Area of Mexico City]] (Acatlán, Aragón, Cuautitlán, Iztacala and Zaragoza), as well as many others in several locations across Mexico (in [[Santiago de Querétaro]], [[Morelia]], [[Mérida]], [[Ensenada]], and [[Cuernavaca]], mainly aimed at research and graduate studies. It has also formed four foreign campuses in the [[United States]] and [[Canada]]. ===External buildings of interest=== ====Palacio de Minería==== Under the care of UNAM's Engineering Faculty, the 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 exhibitions related to mining, the prime engineering occupation during the Spanish colonization. It is considered to be one of the most significant of Mexican architecture of its period. ====Casa del Lago==== House of the Lake, in [[Chapultepec|Chapultepec Park]], is a place devoted to cultural activities including dancing, theatre 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==== Possessing an artistic architecture, large crystal panels and two iron towers designed by [[Gustave Eiffel]]; it served the National Museum of Natural History for almost 50 years. It is now devoted to the temporary exhibitions of visual arts. ====Observatorio Astronómico Nacional==== {{main|National Astronomical Observatory (Mexico)}} The National Astronomical Observatory is located in the [[Sierra San Pedro Mártir]] mountain range in [[Baja California]], about 130 kilometers south of [[United States-Mexican border]]. 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== [[Image:Rectoria UNAM.jpg|right|thumb|250 px|The [[Rectorate]] tower.]] It consists of [[Faculty (university)|faculties]] rather than departments. Both [[undergraduate]] and graduate studies are available. UNAM is also responsible for the [[Escuela Nacional Preparatoria]] (ENP) [http://dgenp.unam.mx (National Preparatory School),] and the [[Colegio de Ciencias y Humanidades]] (CCH) [http://www.cch.unam.mx (Science and Humanities College)], which consist of several [[high school]]s, spread around [[Mexico City]]. Counting ENEP, CCH, FES [http://www.zaragoza.unam.mx (Facultad de Estudios Profesionales)] undergraduate and graduate students, UNAM has over 269,000 students, making it one of the [[world's largest universities]]. ===List of schools (Faculties and National Schools)=== * [[Faculty of Accounting and Administration(UNAM)|Faculty of Accounting and Administration]] * [[Faculty of Architecture(UNAM)|Faculty of Architecture]] * [[Faculty of Chemistry (UNAM)|Faculty of Chemistry]] * [[Faculty of Economics (UNAM)|Faculty of Economics]] * [[Faculty of Engineering (UNAM)|Faculty of Engineering]] * [[Faculty of Higher Studies (FES) Acatlán]] * [[Faculty of Higher Studies (FES) Cuautitlán]] * [[Faculty of Higher Studies (FES) Iztacala]] * [[Faculty of Higher Studies (FES) Zaragoza]] * [[Faculty of Law (UNAM)|Faculty of Law]] * [[Faculty of Medicine (UNAM)|Faculty of Medicine]] * [[Faculty of Odontology (UNAM)|Faculty of Odontology]] * [[Faculty of Philosophy and Literature (UNAM)|Faculty of Philosophy and Literature]] * [[Faculty of Political and Social Sciences (UNAM)|Faculty of Political and Social Sciences]] * [[Faculty of Psychology (UNAM)|Faculty of Psychology]] * [[Faculty of Sciences (UNAM)|Faculty of Sciences]] * [[Faculty of Veterinarian Medicine (UNAM)|Faculty of Veterinarian Medicine]] * [[National School of Arts]] * [[National School of Music]] * [[National School of Nursery and Obstetrics]] * [[National School of Social Work]] == Students and faculty == === Faculties and National Schools === [[Image:BicycleJailatUNAMuniversity.jpeg|right|thumb|250 px|A bicycle jail at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters.]] UNAM recognizes two different types of university schools: [[Faculty (university)|Faculties]] and National Schools. Faculties are the only institutions that have postgraduate studies. Currently, most of the schools, either inside or outside the University City, had this title. A National School is an institution that cannot offer all postgraduate studies ([[Master's degrees]] and [[Doctorates]]). This is the case of the [[National School of Music]], the [[National School of Arts]], the [[National School of Nursery and Obstetrics]], and the [[National School of Social Work]]. ===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 professional scientists from all over the world (most notably from [[Russia]], [[India]] and the [[United States]]) {{Fact|date=March 2008}}, which has created a unique diverse scientific community. Scientific research at UNAM is divided between faculties, institutes, centers and schools, and covers a range of disciplines in [[Latin America]]. Some of the more noted institutes include: Institute of Astronomy, Institute of Biotechnology, Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Institute of Ecology, Institute of Physics, Institute of Cell Physiology, Institute of Geophysics, Institute of Engineering, Institute of Materials Research, Institute of Chemistry, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, and the [[IIMAS|Applied Mathematics and Systems Research Institute]]. Research centers tend to focus on multidisciplinary problems particularly relevant to Mexico and the developing world, most notably: Center of Applied Sciences and Technological Development, which focuses on connecting the sciences to real-world problems (e.g., optics, nanosciences) and Center of Energy Research, which does world-class research in alternative energies. All research centers are open to students from Mexico and around the world. The UNAM holds a number of programs for students within the country to make scientific internships in order to impulse research in the country. UNAM's scientific output continues to grow, despite numerous attempts by the Mexican government to curtail its budget, the University currently producing 60% of all scientific publications in Mexico. As for 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=== {{mergefrom|Pumas Dorados de la UNAM|Talk:National Autonomous University of Mexico#Pumas Dorados de la UNAM Merger proposal|date=March 2008}} [[Image:Unam estadio twilight.jpg|thumb|right|250 px|A view of UNAM's Olympic Stadium]] UNAM's [[Football (soccer)|football]] team [[Club Universidad Nacional]] participates in the [[Primera División de México]] of the Mexican Football League Division. The club became two-time consecutive champions of the [[Torneo de Apertura|Apertura]], and the [[Torneo de Clausura|Clausura]] in 2004. Their home ground is the [[Estadio Olímpico Universitario]] stadium. ===Political activism=== UNAM students and professors are regarded around Mexico as very politically aware and sometimes very politically active. The general tendency of UNAM is significant, with several [[socialist]], [[anarchist]], and [[communist]] (i.e., left-wing) 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 Gómez Morín]]. ===Alleged links between UNAM and FARC=== :See also [[Faculty of Philosophy and Literature (UNAM)#Alleged links with FARC|Faculty of Philosophy and Literature links with FARC]] On June 2003 former Colombian ambassador in Mexico Luis Guzmán said that there were [[FARC]] offices on the UNAM [[Faculty of Philosophy and Literature (UNAM)|Faculty of Philosophy and Literature]] and these offices were making propaganda and recruiting people to participate on the guerrilla. [http://www.elsiglodetorreon.com.mx/noticia/39324.farc-opera-en-la-unam-embajador-de-colombia.html] ==Noted alumni== :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 a member of the UNAM alumni or faculty: ===Presidents of a nation=== * [[Carlos Salinas de Gortari]] (President of Mexico 1988&ndash;1994) * [[Miguel de la Madrid Hurtado]] (President of Mexico 1982&ndash;1988) * [[José López Portillo y Pacheco]] (President of Mexico 1976&ndash;1982) * [[Luis Echeverría|Luis Echeverría Álvarez]] (President of Mexico 1970&ndash;1976) * [[Miguel Alemán Valdés]] (President of Mexico 1946&ndash;1952) * [[Abel Pacheco de la Espriella]] (President of [[Costa Rica]] 2002&ndash;2006) * [[Alfonso Portillo]] (President of [[Guatemala]] 2000&ndash;2004) ===Politicians=== * [[Antonio Carrillo Flores]] (cabinet minister in several previous administrations) * [[Andrés Manuel López Obrador]] ([[Head of Government of the Federal District|Head of Government]] of the [[Mexican Federal District|Federal District]] from 2000 to 2005 and candidate for the Presidency of Mexico in 2006) * [[Alan Cranston]], [[United States Senate|U.S. Senator from California]]. * [[Alfonso Caso y Andrade]], a very noted archaeologist. * [[Álvaro García Linera]], vice-president of [[Bolivia]]. * [[Veton Surroi]], Kosovo publicist and leader of the Kosovar Party [[ORA]]. ===Diplomats=== * [[Antonio Carrillo Flores]], former [[Secretary of Foreign Affairs (Mexico)|Ministry of Mexicain Foreign Affairs]] during the [[Gustavo Díaz Ordaz|Díaz Ordaz]] administration. * [[Alfonso García Robles]], a [[Nobel Peace Prize]] laureate. * [[Antonio Gómez Robledo]], former [[Secretary of Foreign Affairs (Mexico)|Ministry of Mexican Foreign Affairs]] during the [[José López Portillo|López Portillo]] administration. * [[Narciso Bassols]], one time ambassador to Russia, France, and Great Britain. Former director of UNAM School of Law. * [[Rosario Green]], former [[Secretary of Foreign Affairs (Mexico)|Ministry of Mexicain Foreign Affairs]] during the [[Ernesto Zedillo|Zedillo]] administration. ===Artists, writers and humanists=== * [[Alfonso Reyes]], writer, philosopher and diplomat. * [[Jaime Torres Bodet]], writer and politician. * [[Adolfo Sánchez Vázquez]], philosopher and writer. * [[Elena Poniatowska]], journalist and writer. * [[Salvador Elizondo]], writer and a member of [[El Colegio Nacional]]. * [[Carlos Fuentes]], writer, essayist and a member of [[El Colegio Nacional]]. * [[Enrique Krauze]], historian, essayist and publisher (director of ''[[Letras Libres]]'' journal. * [[Carlos Monsiváis]], editorialist and writer. * [[José Emilio Pacheco]], writer and a member of [[El Colegio Nacional]]. * [[Fernando del Paso]], writer. * [[Octavio Paz]], poet and essayist; a Literature Nobel Prize laureate (he never graduated). * [[Alfonso García Robles]], a Peace Nobel Prize laureate. * [[Jaime Sabines]], poet. * [[Enrique Semo]], historian, writer, activist, Mexico City Secretary of Culture * [[Alfonso Caso]], archaeologist. * [[Eduardo Pareyón Moreno]], archaeologist. * [[Agustín Landa Verdugo]], architect and urban planner. * [[Audre Lorde]], writer, poet and activist. * [[Jorge Volpi]], novelist and essayist; current director of [[Canal 22]] in Mexican free television. * [[Jacobo Zabludovsky]], journalist and first [[Anchorman|TV Anchorman]] in Mexico. * [[William F. Buckley]], writer and political philosopher; attended in 1943 prior to being commissioned in the US Army during the World War II. ===Physicians and surgeons=== * [[Carlos Fernández del Castillo, M.D.]] (pancreatic diseases, pancreatobiliary surgery, gastrointestinal surgery) (Massachusetts General Hospital, USA)[http://www.massgeneral.org/gensurg/page.asp?id=fernandez] [http://www.dfhcc.harvard.edu/membership/member-profile/member/9068/0/] [http://web.mit.edu/medical/staff/s-fernandezdelcastillo.html] * [[Guillermo Soberón Acevedo]], biochemist and a member of [[El Colegio Nacional]]. * [[Ruy Pérez Tamayo]], pathologist. ===Scientists=== * [[Luis E. Miramontes]], co-inventor of the contraceptive pill. * [[Rodolfo Neri Vela| Dr. Rodolfo Neri Vela]], the first Mexican in space. * [[Mario Molina|Mario J. Molina]], a Chemistry Nobel Prize laureate. * [[Guillermo Haro]], astronomer, co-discoverer of [[Herbig-Haro object]]s. * [[Carlos Frenk|Carlos Frenk]], astronomer, a pioneer in simulations of large-scale structures. * [[Nabor Carrillo Flores|Nabor Carrillo Flores]], a soil mechanics expert, a nuclear energy advisor and former president of UNAM. * [[Miguel José Yacamán]], physicist. * [[Miguel Alcubierre]], theoretical and computational physicist (see [[Alcubierre metric]]). * [[Marcos Moshinsky]], a theoretical physicist. * [[Antonio Lazcano]], a notable biologist working in the field of [[origin of life]]. * [[Víctor Neumann-Lara]], a pioneer in the graph theory in Mexico. * [[Salvador Zubirán]], a physician, founder of the [[National Institute of Nutrition]]. * [[Miguel de Icaza]], free software programmer (dropped out). ===Tycoons=== * [[Carlos Slim Helú]], the second richest man in the world, according to the latest [[Forbes]] list (see the [[List of billionaires (2008)|2008 Forbes Billionaire List]]). ===Sports stars=== * [[Hugo Sánchez|Hugo Sánchez Márquez]], one of Mexico's most acknowledged football players and former [[Real Madrid]] player. ==Noted faculty== :''See also [[:Category:National Autonomous University of Mexico faculty]]'' * [[Max Cetto]], architect. * [[Alejandro Corichi]], astrophysicist. * [[Axel Didriksson Takanayagui]], a writer education researcher and current [[Secretary of Education]] working for the [[Government of Mexico City]]. * [[Erich Fromm]], a German-born philosopher and psychoanalist, founder of the [[Mexican Institute of Psychoanalysis]]. * [[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]], a [[Chile]]an politician, secretary of the [[Organization of American States]]. * [[Imanol Ordorika]], a specialist in education. * [[Maricela Ortega Villalobos]], physiology. * [[Kiyoto Ota]], sculptor. * [[Arturo Rosenblueth]], physiologist. * [[Adolfo Sánchez Vázquez]], a Spanish-born philosopher. * [[Sara Sefchovich]], writer. * [[Manuel Sandoval Vallarta]], physicist and [[cosmic ray]] researcher. * [[Miguel León-Portilla]], historian and náhuatl language researcher. * [[Edmundo O'Gorman]], historian and writer. * [[Rodolfo Neri Vela]], former astronaut. ==University ranking== According to ''The Times Higher Education Supplement 2007 edition'' ([[London]]), which coincides with other worldwide recognized ranking lists, UNAM is the 74th best university in the world and the first in [[Iberoamerica]]. ==See also== * [[XHUNAM-TV]] ("Teveunam", UNAM's educational and cultural television channel) * [[DGSCA]] (Departamento de Servicios de Cómputo Académico, Hub of Computer Sciences/Engineering in UNAM) ==References== <div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:2;column-count:2"><references /></div> [4]Unam, la 74 mejor en el mundo <http://www.dgcs.unam.mx/gacetaweb/2006/061009/gaceta.pdf> [5]Unam, la mejor en Iberoamérica <http://www.el-universal.com.mx/nacion/143868.html> ==External links== *[http://www.unam.mx/ Official website] {{es icon}} {{en icon}} *[http://difusion.cultural.unam.mx/ Culture] {{es icon}} *[http://www.unam.mx/indices/wwwunam.htm All UNAM Websites] {{es icon}} *[http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=19.324711,-99.186759&spn=0.021929,0.035306&t=k&hl=en Ciudad Universitaria - Google Maps satellite photo] {{National Autonomous University of Mexico}} {{National Student Organization of American Football}} {{APRU}} [[Category:National Autonomous University of Mexico|*]] [[Category:Universities and colleges in Mexico]] [[Category:1551 establishments|Mexico, National Autonomous University of]] [[Category:Educational institutions established in the 1550s|Mexico, National Autonomous University of]] [[Category:National universities]] [[ar:الجامعة الوطنية المستقلة في المكسيك]] [[ca:Universitat Nacional Autònoma de Mèxic]] [[de:Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México]] [[es:Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México]] [[eo:Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México]] [[fr:Université nationale autonome du Mexique]] [[it:UNAM]] [[la:Universitas Nationalis Autonoma Mexici]] [[nah:Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México]] [[nl:Nationale Autonome Universiteit van Mexico]] [[ja:メキシコ国立自治大学]] [[no:UNAM]] [[pt:Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México]]