University of Santiago, Chile

The University of Santiago of Chile (Usach) (Spanish: Universidad de Santiago de Chile) is one of the oldest public universities in Chile.The institution was born as Escuela de Artes y Oficios (Spanish School of Arts & Crafts) in 1849, under the government of Manuel Bulnes. It became Universidad Técnica del Estado (Spanish Technical University of the State) in 1947, with various campuses throughout the country. In 1981, as a consequence of a reform on higher education under the government of Augusto Pinochet, it became what is now known as Universidad de Santiago de Chile, with all activities centered in a single 340,000 m² campus in the capital Santiago.

History

The University of Santiago de Chile (USACH) saw its origins in 1849. Is a Chilean universities oldest and most traditional. Its background is the "School of Arts and Crafts" was founded in 1849 during the Manuel Bulnes Prieto government. Later in the government of President Gabriel González Videla through the DFL N ° 1831 of April 9, 1947, he joined the School of Arts and Crafts Santiago (1849) with the School of Mines of Copiapo (1857), La Serena (1887) and Antofagasta (1918), and Industrial Design Schools (1905), Temuco (1916), Valdivia (1934), Industrial Engineering Schools Santiago (1940) and the Technical Educational Institute. To form the Technical University State (UTE), becoming the best university in the area Chilean applied engineering and industrial technician training. So in 1952 enacted the first statute that allowed Organic begin function as a university, both in legal, administrative and academic. Its first president was Don Octavio Valenzuela Lazo (12 March 1952 to March 12, 1953), academic activity remained in the hands offour Faculty Councils under the tuition of the University Council. During the decade of 1960, makes the DFL N ° 2, 1971, which enacted a second Organic Statute, which allows you to organize University through offices, colleges, departments, and all academic structuresthat the board deems appropriate.

In 1968 due to the University Reform of 1967-1973 Enrique Kirberg Baltiansky assumes the rectory, the only elected university rector faculty in full (universal suffrage) of teachers and students.

In 1971, during the government of Salvador Allende, was approved Revised Statutes of the UTE. Since the coup of 1973, Kirberg is removed from his post and imprisoned by the military regime, the statute previously approved is void and reformulates and New guidelines are elected entirely appointed by the military regime.

In 1981, the military regime through the DFL N ° 23 of March 21, 1981, the headquarters of the State Technical University was divided, giving rise to new universities and professional institutes. Headquartered step to form the University of Santiago de Chile. While the other sites they became from other universities such as University of Atacama, Universidad de Antofagasta, Universidad de La Serena, Professional Institute Talca (later transformed into University of Talca), University of the Bío-Bío, University of La Frontera, Instituto Profesional de Osorno (Subsequently transformed into University of Lagos), Instituto Professional Valdivia (later integrated in 1988, the Southern University of Chile) and Magellan Professional Institute (transformed then at the University of Magallanes). The University of Santiago de Chile, near the University of Atacama and University of Magallanes are the only heir to the tradition of State Technical University, because at the time of dissolution is last and the new universities created in 1981, the headquarters (Santiago) headquarters and Copiapo and Punta Arenas, respectively, were not fused or integrated with other university offices. The headquarters is located where the old School of Arts and Crafts and the Joint Venture, in the municipality of Estación Central , one of its symbols is the planetarium built in the eighties.

Faculties

The university houses over 18,000 undergraduate students in 55 different majors, in the following faculties:

• Engineering (Ingeniería),
• Bachelors Program in Arts and Sciences (Bachillerato),
• Business Administration & Economics (Administración y Economía),
• Chemistry & Biology (Química y Biología),
• Medical Sciences (Ciencias Médicas),
• Sciences (Ciencias),
• Humanities Faculty (Humanidades),
• School of Architecture (Escuela de Arquitectura), and
• Technology Faculty (Facultad Tecnológica).

External links

• Official web site
• University of Santiago Indicators
• Faculty of Administration and Economy