marzo 15, 2007

UNAM vol.2


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 second oldest university University in the Americas just behind the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos in Lima, Peru.
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).