Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara facts for kids
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| Motto | "Ciencia y Libertad" ("Science and Freedom) |
|---|---|
| Type | Private |
| Established | March 3, 1935 |
| President | Antonio Leaño Reyes |
| Students | 16,000 |
| Address |
Av. Patria 1201
,
,
Col. Lomas del Valle 3ª Seccion, C.P. 45129 Mexico
20°41′37″N 103°24′59″W / 20.6937°N 103.4163°W |
| Campus | Urban, 2,000 acres (810 ha), distributed in 4 campuses |
| Newspaper | Nexo Universitario, Alma Mater |
| Colors | |
| Nickname | Tecos |
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Sporting affiliations
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CONCACAF Division 1A, 7 varsity teams |
| Mascot | Owl |
The Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara (UAG), also known as Autónoma, is a private university in Guadalajara, Mexico. It was started in 1935. UAG was the first private university and medical school in Mexico.
The university was created because of changes happening in public education in Mexico at the time. It was first called Universidad del Occidente (University of the West). Later, its name changed to Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara (UAG).
UAG also started UNICO, which was Mexico's first community college. The university runs elementary, middle, and high schools too. It has become a very important school in Latin America. Students from over 25 countries come to study here.
Contents
History
How UAG Started
After the Mexican Revolution (1910–1920), the government wanted to make big changes. In 1934, a leader named Plutarco Elias Calles gave a speech. He said that schools should teach ideas that supported the revolution. He believed that young people should learn these new ideas.
At this time, there were rules in Mexico's Constitution about education. These rules limited the influence of the Roman Catholic Church in schools. In 1934, a change was made to say that public schools should teach "socialist education."
At the National University, there were disagreements about what the university should teach. Some people, like Antonio Caso, believed in "academic freedom." This meant that professors and students should be free to explore different ideas. Others, like Vicente Lombardo Toledano, wanted the university to focus on Marxist ideas.
In 1933, Mexican universities decided that the National University should have a socialist focus. When they tried to bring these ideas to other public universities, there were protests. At the University of Guadalajara, these protests led to the school closing for a short time.
The protests ended when the governor of Jalisco allowed a new private university to be created. This was the Universidad Autonoma de Occidentes, which later became UAG. It was the first private university in Mexico.
The first building for UAG was Nuñez building 28. The founders worked hard to set up classes, find teachers, and enroll students. They also made sure their studies were recognized by the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).
First Classes and Growth
The first leader of UAG was Agustin Navarro Flores. Under his guidance, the first schools were set up. These included law, medicine, dentistry, engineering, and a high school.
Over the years, UAG grew a lot. In 1956, they started building the University City campus. This campus was officially opened in 1970. New buildings were added, like the Central Library and the Women's School.
Gaining Full Independence
In 1991, the Mexican government gave UAG full academic independence. This meant the university could award degrees at all levels of education on its own. This was a big step for UAG.
UAG also worked with other schools in Mexico and around the world. They made agreements with universities in Latin America and the United States. UAG became a leader in international education groups. For example, in 1987, the head of UAG was chosen to lead the International Association of University Presidents.
Innovation and Learning
Strengthening Teachers Program
UAG has a program called "Strengthening Teachers." Its goal is to improve how teachers teach. Professors and experts from other countries visit UAG to help train teachers. UAG teachers also get to visit other universities in different countries.
Continuing Education
The Division of Continuing Education at UAG offers special training programs. It started in 1972 and has many different courses. It helps people keep learning and developing new skills.
Medical School
UAG has the oldest private medical school in Mexico. The first medical class was held on June 5, 1935. The first hospital for the university was named Hospital Ramón Garibay.
In 1963, the basic science classes for medical students moved to the Lomas del Valle campus. This campus has the Institute of Biological Sciences. In 1974, a second university hospital opened. It was named after Doctor Ángel Leaño, one of the university's founders. This hospital was designed to help students learn in a practical way.
Both hospitals started internship and specialty programs in 1970. Students could specialize in areas like pediatrics (children's health), gynecology (women's health), and anesthesiology (pain relief during surgery). Today, the Medical School offers training in many more areas, like ophthalmology (eye care) and neurosurgery (brain surgery).
More than 15,000 doctors who graduated from UAG are now working in all 50 states of the US and in over 15 other countries. The school works with over 100 hospitals in Mexico and many in other countries.
Medicine in the Community Program
This program started in 1955. It helps poor communities by bringing together students and professors from different fields. These include medicine, dentistry, social work, and nursing. They work together to provide health care and support.
In 1973, it became a formal program called Medicine in the Community (PMC). It helps with medical brigades and mobile hospitals during emergencies. In 1998, the Primary Care Mobile Unit (UMAP) was created. This unit helps bring basic health services to communities. The program focuses on community health, education, and well-being. It gives medical students valuable experience helping people in need.
Recognitions for the Medical School
The UAG Medical School is recognized by many important organizations. It is listed in the World Health Organization's directory of medical schools. It is also approved by the United States Department of Education. This means its medical degree is widely accepted.
The school is accredited by the Mexican Council for the Accreditation of Medical Education (COMAEM). The U.S. Department of Education has said that COMAEM's process is similar to the LCME process used in the US.
According to a 2018 survey, UAG is one of the top three international medical schools. It has a large number of doctors (5,742) who are licensed to practice in the United States of America.
School of Journalism
In 1970, the School of Journalism was created. It later grew to include Communication Sciences. Students started publishing their own newspaper called Eight Columns.
Over time, the school created the Center of Communication University (CECUN) in 1977. In 1978, Eight Columns became a daily newspaper. It was distributed to the public in Jalisco and printed many copies each day.
The university also publishes other newspapers and magazines. These include Nexus and Alma Mater, which is for university graduates. The university press also publishes many books each year for education, culture, or research.
UNICO
University in the Community (UNICO) is a part of UAG since 1992. It was inspired by community colleges in the United States. UNICO offers shorter courses. Students who complete these courses get a Certificate of Study and a Title from UAG. They also get a Professional Certificate from the Mexican government (SEP), which is recognized across the country.
Stadium
The university's sports teams, including Tecos F.C., play their home games at the Estadio Tres de Marzo. This stadium is in Zapopan, Jalisco. It can hold 30,015 people.
The stadium was first built with steel stands for about 3,000 people. As the UAG soccer team got better, the stadium was expanded. In 1973, new concrete stands were built, bringing the capacity to 15,000. In 1975, it was expanded again to 25,000 seats.
The stadium was renovated for the 1986 World Cup. This brought its capacity to 30,015. In 1999, it had its last major renovation, which included a new field and drainage system. The stadium is named "Tres de Marzo" (March 3rd) because that is the date UAG was founded in 1935.
Sports
Soccer
The university's professional soccer team is called Tecos. The name "Tecos" comes from "Tecolote," which is a Spanish word for "owl." The owl is the university's symbol. The team plays at Estadio Tres de Marzo.
The university started an amateur soccer team in 1935. In 1971, they joined the professional Federacion Mexicana de Futbol. They quickly moved up to higher leagues. In the 1974–1975 season, they were promoted to the top league, Primera División Mexicana.
The team, once known as Club de Fútbol U.A.G., has won the national championship once. They are the only team in Mexican soccer history to move up from two lower divisions and then win the championship.
In 2009, the UAG soccer team changed its name to Estudiantes.
Notable Alumni
- Rande Lazar - a doctor who specializes in ear, nose, and throat issues for children.
- Durell Peaden MD - an American politician and former Senator for Florida.
- Lloyd Richardson - a former President of the Parliament of Sint Maarten.
- Mauricio Toussaint - an Artist.
- Sofía Aragón - Mexicana Universal 2019.
Images for kids
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Antonio Caso
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Vicente Lombardo Toledano
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Government Palace of Guadalajara
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One of the main campus entrances
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Institute of Biological Science, a far view of one of its auditoriums
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Estadio 3 de Marzo
See also
In Spanish: Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara para niños
