National Autonomous University of Mexico

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Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Image:UNAM.jpg
Motto Por mi raza hablará el espíritu (For my race will the spirit speak)
Established 1551
Type Public university
Endowment U.S. $1.5 billion or MXN $15 thousand million Mexican pesos
President Juan Ramón de la Fuente
Staff 32,498
Undergraduates 143,405
Postgraduates 18,987
Location Mexico City, D.F., Mexico
Campus Urban, 6.5 km² (1,606.185 acres), main campus only
Athletics 40 varsity teams
Mascot Puma
Website Official, stats: [1], [2]
The library of the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
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The library of the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
Rector Tower
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Rector Tower

The National Autonomous University of Mexico (Spanish: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, abbreviated as UNAM) is today the most important Mexican university and was founded in 1551 by Royal Decree signed by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor at Valladolid, Spain. Born as Real Universidad de la Nueva España, is the oldest University in North America.

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 Beijing University also considered UNAM to be the best university in the region and also the sole most important University in the Spanish-speaking world.

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.

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).

Contents

[edit] Graduate studies

[edit] Research

[edit] University City

Main article: Ciudad Universitaria
UNAM Central Library
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UNAM Central Library

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.

[edit] Campus

Apart from Ciudad Universitaria, UNAM has several campi in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City (Acatlán, Aragón, Cuautitlán, Iztacala y Zaragoza), as well as many others in several locations across Mexico (mainly aimed at research and graduate studies), and four foreign campuses at San Antonio (Texas, USA), Chicago (Illinois, USA) and Gatineau (Quebec, Canada).

[edit] External buildings of interest

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Museo de San Ildefonso

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

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Political Climate

UNAM students and professors are regarded around Mexico as very politically aware, and sometimes very politically active. The general tendency is left-wing, with several socialist, anarchist and communist movements emerging from university students and staff, as well as prominent right-wing politicians, like Carlos Salinas de Gortari.

However, UNAM is perhaps the place with more active political discussion in Mexico, including serious debate, mostly on the part of the faculty members. Among professors one can find influential people in Mexican politics, as well as respected analysts. Discussion of political subjects is often encouraged by professors. International politics are also discussed, and several groups of interest have been formed, again mostly by professors, which have several degrees of influence in national opinion.

Despite the general leftist orientation, some right wing organizations have also benefited from university members. Some versions indicate that some of the current high-ranking government officials (Secretaries and advisors) emerged from a particular right-wing movement of Christian-nationalist orientation, born in UNAM in the 1960s.

In general, being a former student or professor at UNAM almost guarantees a degree of political awareness not present in the average Mexican population. It is for this reason that political unrest is not uncommon among the UNAM community.

[edit] Football team

Olympic Stadium
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Olympic Stadium

UNAM's football (soccer) team Club Universidad Nacional participates in the First Division of the Football 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.

[edit] 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
  • 95th best university in the world (all fields)
  • 28th best university outside of North America and Europe

Source: The Times Higher Education Supplement 2006 edition (London). It coincides with other worldwide recognized ranking lists.

  • 1st in Latin America, Spain and Portugal
  • 74th best university in the world (all fields)

[edit] Notable alumni

See also Category:UNAM alumni

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

[edit] Presidents

[edit] Scientists

[edit] Politicians

[edit] Writers and humanists

[edit] Programmers

[edit] Actors

[edit] Tycoons

[edit] Dentists

  • Hugo Sanchez The Mexican football player with most honors.

[edit] Notable faculty

See also Category:UNAM faculty

[edit] See also

  • XHUNAM-TV ("Teveunam", UNAM's educational and cultural television channel)

[edit] External links


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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