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National University of San Marcos or University of Saint Mark *(Spanish: Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM), or simply San Marcos) is a public university in Lima, Peru. It was founded in 1551, and as such is one of the oldest universities in the world and the oldest in Latin America, just after the National University of Mexico (UNAM) founded in the same year as the Royal University of the New Spain. While its historical campus is situated in downtown Lima, most academic activities take place at the modern Ciudad Universitaria.

The university is considered by many Peruvians as the most respected institution of higher learning in the country, as well as a leading center of scientific research.

History

San Marcos was established on May 12, 1551 by an order of Dominican friars headed by Fray Thomas de San Martin. It was subsequently officially recognized by royal decree of Charles I of Spain and the papal bull of Pius V in 1571. Classes commenced on January 2, 1553, in the Convento del Rosario; the faculty consisted of Andrés Cianca and Corona Cosme Carrillo, and was led by Fray Juan Bautista de La Roca.

UNMSM was originally located in the Convent of Rosario of the Dominicans. Later, it was moved to a location adjacent to the Augustinians convent San Marcelo. 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 campus Ciudad Universitaria.

The Faculty of Medicine, also known as San Fernando (named after Ferdinand VII of Spain), was established during the viceroy's Francisco de Toledo, Count of Oropesa's administration in 1573; however this faculty belongs to Department of Health Sciences and is also considered as the second campus also called Local San Fernando. Originally it was also located at the Plaza del Estanque until the 1860s when it moved to Avenida Grau, still in downtown Lima.

Logos

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 seal featured an icon of the "Virgen del Rosario" (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 (fruit) (that is, the fruit, which in Spanish is una lima, hence Lima, Peru). The logo was approved by King Charles I of Spain in 1551. By the late 1570s and after a papal bull of Pope Pius V, the seal was modified, replacing the icon of Virgen del Rosario with Saint Mark. It is uncertain which colors were used on this seal, 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 logo 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 logo. In the second generation logo major changes were made to the angel's shape and its wings. The third generation logo used today, was introduced in 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 seal's frame and shade in background.

Oldest university

There is apparently some controversy regarding the claim that San Marcos is the oldest university in the Americas, although it is almost certainly the oldest on the continental mainland. San Marcos is known as Decana de América ("decana" translating as "dean" in the sense of "oldest member"). There are other universities that claim such title including Autonomous University of Santo Domingo which regards itself as Primada de América. But documents and thesis based on historical records support San Marcos as being the oldest and formally the first university founded in New World. San Marcos Decana de América.

Organization

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 magnificus
  • 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's departments were grouped into four academic blocks, as shown below.

Famous UNMSM alumni

References

External links

Lima | Universities in Peru | 1551 establishments | Educational institutions established in the 1550s

Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos | სან-მარკოს ნაციონალური უნივერსიტეტი

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "National University of San Marcos".

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