Oaxaca State
University System (SUNEO)
A NEW MODEL
OF UNIVERSITY
Universities
for Development
University
Teaching of the Highest Quality
It may come
as a surprise to those who have never been to the State
of Oaxaca to find there a university system which in many
fields of teaching and research now matches the highest
standards in the country.
Specifically
in the fields of Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering
and Business Sciences, the Technological
University of the Mixteca (UTM), the oldest of the
State universities (SUNEO), in 2006 managed to win top places
in the national General Knowledge Exams (CENEVAL). In fact,
UTM students won the first fifteen places in Electronics,
with the exception of fourth and tenth places, in Computer
Engineering the first six places, and in Business Sciences
the following places: 1,3,4,6,8,11,12,14 etc. Furthermore,
in the field of computer engineering, UTM is placed among
the elite universities having qualified on three occasions
for the final of the prestigious ACM world championship
- in Shanghai, 2005, in San Antonio Texas, 2006, , and in
Tokyo, 2007. Of the more than five thousand universities
who compete, only about eighty countries in the world manage
to qualify for these finals. Actually, in the 2006 and 2007
qualifying stages for this world event, UTM won first place
out of one hundred and fifty teams from Mexico and Central
America.
In the field
of tourist administration, the University
of the Sea (UMAR, Huatulco Campus), is one of the
leading institutions in the country in the Ceneval EGEL
exams. It also holds the Department of Education recognized
CIES Level 1 in the same major. Furthermore, one of the
Master's degrees at UMAR (Puerto Angel Campus) has recognition
of 'Excellence'. UMAR is the university which offers the
widest range of majors in the fields of marine science and
also carries out intense activity in the field of research.
Both UTM and
UMAR have received numerous prizes and distinctions. The
other universities within the System have just been recently
founded, but the educational system is the same, and with
the same quality criteria will inevitably show the same
results.
Selective
Universities
To be accepted
into the university system, students must do a pre-university
course. This involves having previously passed a selection
exam, and at the end of the course students must pass a
knowledge-sufficiency exam which is what determines acceptance
into the system. With regard to this pre-university course,
students may opt for one of two options: a long pre-university
course which starts at the beginning of March or, a shorter
course beginning in the middle of July. Both courses finish
by the end of September.
All lecturers
and students are full-time, which involves being on campus
eight hours daily, with lectures, tutorials, lab exercises
and workshops, computer labs and library attendance, etc.
Students' obligations include supervised reading of a novel
once a month, co-coordinated field-trips, internships -
two months at the end of sixth semester and again at the
end of eighth semester.
Cultural, recreational
and sports activities are available, mostly organized by
the students with assistance from the university.
Majors take
five years as well as the pre-university courses. To graduate,
students have two options available: write a thesis or,
pass the CENEVAL general knowledge exam, if available for
a particular major.
EXTENSIVE
NETWORK OF UNIVERSITIES
By the end
of 2006, the Oaxaca State University System (SUNEO) has
seven universities, composed of eleven campuses covering
all the state of Oaxaca. A further three universities involving
another eleven campuses are under construction.
I. Existing
universities in 2006
Technological
University of the Mixteca (UTM) Huajuapan de León
Majors:
Degrees in Electronics,
Computing, Design, Computronics, Industrial, and Food Engineering
Bachelor's degrees
in Applied Mathematics and Business Administration
Bachelor´s degree
in Mexican Studies via the UTM Virtual University
Post Graduate
Studies:
Master's degrees
in Electronics and Computing, Software Engineering, Business
Administration, and Distributed Systems (via Virtual University)
Phd. in Electronics
and Computing.
University
of the Sea (UMAR)
Puerto Escondido
Campus
Majors General
Biology, Forestry Engineering, Zootechnics, and Informatics
Puerto Angel
Campus
Majors Marine
Biology, Oceanography, Aquiculture, Fishing Engineering,
Maritime Sciences, Environmental Engineering
Postgraduate studies
Master's degree in Sciences, specialties in Marina Ecology,
Environmental Chemistry, and Environmental Engineering
Phd. in Science,
specialty in Marine Ecology
Huatulco
Campus
Majors Turism
Administration, International Relations and Communications
Sciences
University
of the Istmo (UNISTMO)
Tehuantepec
Campus
Majors: Chemical
Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Design Engineering,
Computer Engineering, and Industrial Engineering
Ixtepec
Campus
Majors: Bachelor's
Degrees in Public Administration, Business Sciences, Law
and Informatics
University
of Papaloapan (UNPA)
Tuxtepec
Campus
Majors: Chemical
Sciences, Business Administration, Food Engineering, and
Biotechnology
Loma Bonita
Campus
Majors: Aquaculture
Engineering, Computer Engineering, Design Engineering, Computronics
and Zootechnics
University
of La Sierra Sur (UNSIS) Miahuatlan
Majors: Public
Administration, Municipal Administration, Business Sciences,
Nursing, and Informatics
University
of Sierra Juarez (UNSIJ) Ixtlan de Juarez
Majors: Biology,
Environmental Sciences, Forestry Engineering, Informatics
University
of La Cañada (UNCA) Teotitlán de Flores Magón
Majors: Agroindustries,
Food Engineering, Informatics, Pharmacobiolgy
II. Universities
under Construction
University
of the Coast Pinotepa Nacional
University
of Chalcatongo Chalcatongo
Novauniversitas
Campuses in Acatlán de Pérez Figueroa, Huautla de Jiménez,
Juxtlahuaca, Matías Romero, Nochixtlán, Ocotlán (Central
campus), Putla, Sola de Vega.
Campus Juchitán
belonging to the University of
the Istmo
Research
in the Suneo
Scientific research
is carried out through the Research Institutes
By November 2006,
thirteen research centers were operating:
Institute of
Electronics and Computing (UTM) Institute of Hydrology (UTM)
Institute of Design (UTM) Institute of Physics and Applied
Mathematics (UTM) Institute of Agroindustries (UTM) Institute
of Mining (UTM) Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities
(UTM) Institute of Resources (UMAR, Puerto Angel) Institute
of Industries (UMAR, Puerto Angel)) Institute of Ecology
(UMAR, Puerto Angel) Institute of International Studies
(UMAR, Huatulco) Institute of Tourism (UMAR, Huatulco) Institute
of Social Sciences and Humanities (UMAR, Huatulco)
A further three
research centers will be opened in March, 2007
Institute of
Genetics (UMAR, Puerto Angel) Institute of Energy Studies
(UNISTMO, Tehuantepec) Institute of Environmental Studies
(UNSIJ)
These research
centers are staffed with seven hundred full-time researcher/lecturers
whose work load includes both lecturing and research. Regarding
their productivity, it is interesting to notee that, between
2003 and 2006, 126 articles were published in international
magazines and a similar number in national editions. UTM
has a quarterly magazine called Temas de Ciencia y Tecnología
(Science and Technology Issues), while UMAR has a similar
quarterly magazine called Ciencia y Mar (Science and the
Sea). Twenty books have also been published.
In this State
University System, approximately one hundred and fifty research
projects are currently in process, some of which are financed
by CONACYT (National Council for Science and Technology),
some are intersector projects, while others are financed
with the universities' own resources or by businesses.
CULTURAL PROMOTION
PROGRAMS
The cultural promotion
programs are realized in a number of ways.
Every year,
the Mixtec Cultural Week is held at UTM while the
Zapotec Cultural Week takes place at UNISTMO. These
events will gradually be extended to include all the other
regions with a view to strengthening and updating traditional
cultural values in each ethnic entity. Selections of the
principal lectures given during these cultural weeks are
edited for publication.
Nine bookstores
have been opened right in the center of these communities
with a view to promoting reading habits by making books
easy to get at low prices. These bookstores are located
in Huajuapan de León, Puerto Escondido, Pochutla, Huatulco,
Tehuantepec, Loma Bonita, Tuxtepec, Miahuatlán, and Ixtlán.
The Chair of
Mixtec Language Studies has been created at UTM, and likewise
the Chair of the Zapotec Language Studies in the UNISTMO
to contribute to the survival of these languages.
Other cultural
promotion activities include lectures, concerts, folkdance
clubs, movie seasons, exhibitions etc.
PROMOTING DEVELOPMENT
This function
has been added to the traditional university functions of
teaching, research, and cultural promotion. Projects are
coordinated by the Development Centers established in each
university. Requests are received for technical support
from government organizations, communities, businesses or
individuals, while some projects are initiatives of the
Development Centers.
This function
is being carried out in a number of ways which usually involves
giving assessment, carrying out studies, writing up projects,
organizing training courses for public officials, crafts
persons, Junior and Senior High School teachers etc.
Computer courses
are offered to elementary and secondary level school children
from schools that cannot afford to have computers. Each
group receives two to three hours training every Saturday
for a full month.
The elaboration
of support projects avails of professors in the research
institutes. This has led to efforts to explore for water
sources for about eighty communities throughout the state
of Oaxaca. Communities are trained to preserve soils, improve
their crops, and carry out reforestation through donations
of trees produced in the university nurseries. Some communities
have been explored for mining resources. Urban and territorial
planning projects have been carried out, for example, a
project was drawn up for the federal government environment
department (SEMARNAT, formerly SEMARNAP) as part of ecological
planning along the Pacific Coast from the Isthmus to Huatulco.
Studies and projects have been developed for environmental
engineering issues relating to water treatment plants, purifiers,
and urban waste disposal.
In the case
of UTM, the Technological Park of the Mixteca has been built
which houses the first software development company -KadaSoftware.
A business incubator has also been established.
As part of
its community outreach service, UTM has a meteorological
station connected in real time with the National Autonomous
University of Mexico (UNAM) and with the World Meteorological
Organization. The Federal Government Economy Department
has entrusted the Historical Archive of Mining in the State
to UTM to make it available for consultation. A special
building was made to safeguard this archive.
The University
of the Isthmus has been contracted to collaborate in a number
of studies with the Mexican Oil (PEMEX) refinery in Salina
Cruz, in the field of certification of quality of processes.
The University
of the Sea (UMAR) possesses two botanical gardens, one in
San Pedro Mixtepec and another in Chepilme (near Pochutla).
There is also an experimental station in Bajos de Chile
which has, among other things, a special section to study
the reproduction of iguanas for repopulation purposes. UMAR
also has a research ship for oceanographic and fishing research
to gather information about sea resources along the coast
of Oaxaca. This same university has a seismic station connected
to the early-warning alarm system of the state.
BASIC DATA
Approximate
area of all the campuses: 5,000,000 square meters
Buildings:
Around 350
Professors:
700
Students:
Approximately 6,000 exclusively university students.
Educational
opportunities:
- Twenty nine
different Bachelor's majors which offer a total of 47 options
over the entire system of campuses (some majors are repeated).
- Seven Master's
degrees
- Two Phds.
Growth
The student
population grows at a rate of 20 to 25% annually. The majority
is from Oaxaca State; in the case of UMAR (Puerto Angel)
there are students from practically every state in the Mexican
Republic as well as from Mexico City; there are also students
from Columbia, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Germany. UTM has
a contingent of students from the places located in the
south of the state of Puebla while the University of Papaloapan
has students from the neighboring State of Veracruz.
