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National University of San Marcos 

Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos
National University of San Marcos seal
Latin: Academia S. Marci Urbis Regum in Peru
Motto: Universidad del Perú, Decana de América
Motto in English: University of Peru, Dean of America
Established: May 12, 1551
Type: Public, general
Rector: Luis Izquierdo Vásquez
Faculty: 2559 (full time)
674 (part time)
Undergraduates: 29,710
Postgraduates: 3,549
Location: Lima City,  Peru.
Campus: Urban, 0.69 km² (main campus) also called University City.
Colors: Magenta, White, Steel blue               
Mascot: Lion
Website: www.unmsm.edu.pe

Major National University of Saint Mark (Spanish: Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, UNMSM) is a public university in Lima, Peru. It was chartered on May 12, 1551 by a Royal Decree signed by Charles I of Spain as Real and Pontifical University of the City of the Kings of Lima (Spanish: Real y Pontificia Universidad de la Ciudad de los Reyes de Lima), which makes it the oldest officially established university in the Americas, and as such, one of the oldest universities in the world. It was known simple as the University of Lima between 1551 and 1574; during the Viceroyalty of Peru, such denomination continued unofficialy until 1946.

The university has 56 academic-professional schools, organize into 20 faculties, and these into 6 academic areas. All the faculties offer undergraduate and graduate degrees. The student body consists of over 30,000 undergraduate and 4,000 graduate students from all the country and some other countries. It has also different institutions and dependencies as its own cultural center, libraries, museums, editorial, etc.

Due to its prestigious faculty and renowned alumni, the quality of its curricular contents, and its very competitive admission process, San Marcos is considered by many as the most important and respected institution of higher education in the country, as well as a leading center of scientific research.[1] The university is also recognized for its history of student activism and its athletic teams.

Contents

History

Fray Thomas de San Martin, founder of San Marcos University.
Fray Thomas de San Martin, founder of San Marcos University.

San Marcos was founded in 1551 by an order of Dominican friars headed by Fray Thomas de San Martín. It was subsequently officially recognized by a Royal Decree of Charles I of Spain and a papal bull of Pius V in 1571. Classes commenced on January 2, 1553, in the Dominican Convent of Our Lady of the Rosary. The opening lecture was performed by Andres Cianca and Cosme Carrillo, under the supervision of fr. Juan Bautista de La Roca. Later, the university was moved to a location adjacent to the Augustinian Convent of St. Marcellus. In 1575, it was moved again to the Plaza del Estanque, later called Plaza de la Inquisición, where the Congress of Peru is currently located. The city's rapid growth as consequence of the 19th century industrial revolution and of president Manuel Pardo's efforts to develop and improve Lima's urban planning during the 1870s moved San Marcos' campus to a new location contiguous to an old Jesuit monastery called Convictorio de San Carlos; this campus is now referred to as La Casona. Finally in the 1960s, it was moved to its present location, the modern University City campus in the Industrial Area near the border with Callao region.

The Faculty of Medicine, also known as Faculty of San Fernando (named after Ferdinand VII of Spain), was established during the Viceroy Francisco de Toledo, Count of Oropesa's administration in 1573; and is the second largest campus of San Marcos. Originally it was located at the Plaza del Estanque until the 1860s when it moved to Grau Avenue, still in downtown Lima.

Shield

Main article: History of the National University of San Marcos seal
San Marcos shields throughout its history, from left to right. The 1574 version of the original University shield already shows Saint Mark writing at a desk, a lion, three crowns, and the Latin phrase "Plus ultra". The second shield: the round shape was improved and the angel at the top modified and its wings made clear. The recent third shield added light computer-generated imagery effects.
San Marcos shields throughout its history, from left to right. The 1574 version of the original University shield already shows Saint Mark writing at a desk, a lion, three crowns, and the Latin phrase "Plus ultra". The second shield: the round shape was improved and the angel at the top modified and its wings made clear. The recent third shield added light computer-generated imagery effects.

Since its founding in 1550s, San Marcos's identifying symbols changed over the years, although the main pattern has been consistently maintained. From its founding until 1574, the university's first official shield featured an icon of the Virgin of the Rosary, patron saint of the Dominican friars; at the right was a representation of the Pacific Ocean and on the bottom a lime (that is, the fruit, which in Spanish is a lima, hence Lima, Peru). The shield was approved by King Charles I of Spain in 1551. By the late 1570s and after a papal bull of Pope Pius V, the shield was modified, replacing the icon of the Virgin of the Rosary with Saint Mark. It is uncertain which colors were used on this shield, because documents in the 16th century were only black and white paper prints. It wasn't until 1929 when the colors—blue for the ocean, black or brown for the saint's icon, a light blue background, and silver for columns—became popular.

This shield was the longest-enduring symbol of the university: it was used for almost four and a half centuries, until the late 1980s, when it was improved for the second generation shield, where major changes were made to the angel's shape and its wings. The third generation shield used today, was introduced on May 12, 2001 along a special anniversary seal, which was used throughout 2001 and 2002. The third emblem added light computer-generated imagery effects; the RGB color model was used and golden effects were added for shield's frame and shade in background.

Oldest university in the Americas

There is some controversy regarding the claim that San Marcos is the oldest university in the Americas, although it is certainly the oldest on the continental mainland.

San Marcos is known as the Dean of America ("dean" in the sense of "oldest member"). There are other universities that claim similar titles. The Autonomous University of Santo Domingo was founded in 1538 (thus predating UNMSM by 14 years) but was not officially recognized by Royal Decree until 1558. It regards itself as Primada de América.

UNMSM's claims are based on the fact that it was the first institution in the Americas established by a royal decree (signed by Charles I of Spain), and also on the fact that it is the only American institution of higher education from the sixteenth century to operate without interruption from the time of its founding. This last claim has been accepted by many historians, since many universities in the Americas were closed during the wars of independence or other conflicts or political turmoil.

San Marcos also says that according to the Archivo General de Indias, a famous Spanish repository of documents on the former colonies in the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries, there were no official records authorizing any university or higher educational institution before UNMSM in 1551. [1]

The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) was chartered the same year as UNMSM (by a royal decree of September 21, 1551), as the Royal University of the New Spain, which makes it the second oldest in the Americas.

Organization

Department of Chemistry at San Marcos.
Department of Chemistry at San Marcos.
Peruvian postal service made a commemorative stamp in 2001 for San Marcos' University, it features the third generation logo.
Peruvian postal service made a commemorative stamp in 2001 for San Marcos' University, it features the third generation logo.

The university was originally headed by members of the clergy; during the Enlightenment, Bourbon reforms transformed it into a secular institution. The university is governed by:

  • A Rector (President)
  • Two Vice-Rectors
  • The University Assembly (composed of professors and students, with the latter holding a third of the seats).

The original faculties at San Marcos were Theology, Arts and Law; Jurisprudence, and Medicine were added later in the colonial period. The Faculty of Natural Sciences and the Faculty of Economics and Commerce were created in the mid-19th century. The Faculty of Science was subdivided by specialities in the 20th century. The Faculty of Theology was closed in 1935. In the mid-1990s San Marcos' departments were grouped into four academic blocks, as shown below.

Famous alumni

Class of Jurisprudence and Law of 1896 posing in front of department's water fountain.
Class of Jurisprudence and Law of 1896 posing in front of department's water fountain.

References

Notes

  1. ^ Ranking and research supported by: UNESCO and Asamblea Nacional de Rectores, 2007

External links

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Peruvian State Universities:
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