National University of San Marcos

National University of San Marcos

Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos
Latin: The Academy of St. Marcos in the City of Kings in Peru
Latin: Academia S. Marci Vrbis Regvm in Perv
Motto	Universidad del Perú, Decana de América
Motto in English	University of Peru, Dean of the Americas
Type	Public
Established	May 12, 1551 (1551-05-12)
Founder	Charles V
Endowment	PEN S/. 400,732,439 (FY 2013)
Rector	Dr. Orestes Cachay Boza
Academic staff	2,931 (2017)
Students	37,032 (2017)
Undergraduates	28,645 (2010)
Postgraduates	8,520 (2015)
Location	Lima , Peru 12°03′30″S 77°05′00″W
Campus	Urban 70 hectares (170 acres) (main campus)
Colors	Gold Magenta White Steel blue
Mascot	Lion
Website	unmsm.edu.pe

The National University of San Marcos (Spanish: Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, UNMSM) is a public research university in Lima, the capital of Peru. Also known as the University of Peru and the "Dean University of the Americas", it is the first officially established (privilege by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor) and the oldest continuously operating university in the Americas. Since its foundation, it was commonly referred as the "Royal and Pontifical University of the City of the Kings of Lima" until the Viceroyalty period and as of now, it is referred to as Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos or La Decana de América.

It is one of a few Peruvian universities which has managed to rank 1st nationally in several editions of different international university rankings. Its main campus, the University City, is located in Lima. It was chartered on May 12, 1551, by a royal decree signed by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, which makes it the oldest officially established university in the Americas. San Marcos has 66 academic-professional schools, organized into 20 faculties, and 6 academic areas. All of 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, as well as some international students. The university has a number of public institutions under its government such as the San Marcos Cultural Center and the Museum of Natural History of Lima.

Notable alumni include the only Peruvian Nobel laureate so far, Mario Vargas Llosa, and twenty-one Peruvian presidents. San Marcos is also recognized for the quality of its curricular contents, a competitive admissions process, as well as for being a center of scientific research. Several Peruvian and Latin American influential thinkers, researchers, scientists, politicians and writers have studied there, which underscores San Marcos' leading role as an educational institution in the history of Peru and the world.

History

Oldest university in the Americas

Tower at the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras, showing (right) the emblem of Harvard University‍—‌the oldest in the United States‍—‌and (left) that of University of San Marcos‍—‌the oldest in the Americas.

San Marcos is considered the oldest university in the Americas. It was officially established by a royal decree (signed by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor) on May 12, 1551, and since then it has operated without interruption. Hence, it is locally known as the Dean of the Americas ("dean" in the sense of "oldest member"). San Marcos also claims that according to the Archivo General de Indias, a Spanish repository of documents on the former colonies in the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries, there were no official Spanish records of any other university or higher-education institution before 1551.

Although the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo was founded in 1538, it was not officially recognized by Royal Decree until 1558, and, as many other universities in the Americas closed during independence wars and other political conflicts, it was closed due to the occupations of the Dominican Republic by Haiti and then the United States. The National University of Santo Domingo's founding Papal bull In Apostolatus culmine, was not officially recognized by the King of Spain at the time; hence making into an apocryphal document. The Peruvian institution also states that the document in question was discredited by Pope Paul III.

Organization

Government

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

• The University Council
• The University Assembly (composed of professors and students, with the latter holding a third of the seats)
• The Rector (president)
• Two Vice-Rectors:
  • Academic Vice-Rector
  • Vice-Rector of investigation

Academic areas

The original faculties at San Marcos were Theology, Arts (the old Scholastic term for what is now known as academic Philosophy) 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. Nowadays, San Marcos' faculties are grouped into 6 academic areas.

Academic area	Faculty	Department
A: HEALTH SCIENCES	01. Faculty of Human Medicine	01.1. Human Medicine
		01.2. Obstetrics
		01.3. Nursing
		01.4.1. Medical Technology: Clinical Laboratory and Pathological Anatomy 01.4.2. Medical Technology: Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation 01.4.3. Medical Technology: Radiology 01.4.4. Medical Technology: Occupational Therapy
		01.5. Nutrition
	04. Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry	04.1. Pharmacy and Biochemistry
		04.2. Food Science
		04.3. Toxicology
	05. Faculty of Dentistry	05.1. Odontology
	08. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine	08.1. Veterinary Medicine
	18. Faculty of Psychology	18.1. Psychology
		18.2. Organizational Psychology and Human Management
B: BASIC SCIENCES	07. Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering	07.1. Chemistry
	10. Faculty of Biological Sciences	10.1. Biological Sciences
		10.2. Genetics and Biotechnology
		10.3. Microbiology and Parasitology
	13. Faculty of Physical Sciences	13.1. Physics
	14. Faculty of Mathematical Sciences	14.1. Math
		14.2. Statistics
		14.3. Operative investigation
		14.4. Scientific Computing
C: ENGINEERING	07. Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering	07.2. Chemical engineering
		07.3. Agroindustrial engineering
	13. Faculty of Physical Sciences	13.2. Mechanical Engineering of Fluids
	16. Faculty of Geological, Mining, Metallurgical and Geographical Engineering	16.1. Geological Engineering
		16.2. Geographical Engineering
		16.3. Mining Engineering
		16.4. Metallurgical Engineering
		16.5. Civil Engineering
		16.6. Environmental engineering
	17. Faculty of Industrial Engineering	17.1. Industrial Engineering
		17.2. Textile Engineering
		17.3. Occupational Health and Safety Engineering
	19. Faculty of Electronic and Electrical Engineering	19.1. Electronic Engineering
		19.2. Electric engineering
		19.3. Telecommunications Engineering
	20. Faculty of Systems Engineering and Informatics	20.1. Systems engineer
		20.2. Software Engineering
D: ECONOMIC AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES	09. Faculty of Administrative Sciences	09.1. Business Administration
		09.2. Tourism Administration
		09.3. International Business management
	11. Faculty of Accounting Sciences	11.1. Accounting
		11.2. Tax management
		11.3. Business and Public Audit
	12. Faculty of Economic Sciences	12.1. Economics
		12.2. Public Economics
		12.3. International economics
E: HUMANITIES AND LEGAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES	03. Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences	03.1. Literature
		03.2. Philosophy
		03.3. Linguistics
		03.4. Social Communication
		03.5. History of Art
		03.6. Librarianship and Information Sciences
		03.7. Dance
		03.8. Conservation and restoration
	06. Faculty of Education	06.1.1. Initial education 06.1.2. Primary education 06.1.3.1. Secondary Education: English and Spanish 06.1.3.2. Secondary Education: Language and Literature 06.1.3.3. Secondary Education: History and Geography 06.1.3.4. Secondary Education: Philosophy, Tutoring and Social Sciences 06.1.3.5. Secondary Education: Mathematics and Physics 06.1.3.6. Secondary Education: Biology and Chemistry
		06.2. Physical education
	02. Faculty of Law and Political Science	02.1. Law
		02.2. Politic Science
	15. Faculty of Social Sciences	15.1. History
		15.2. Sociology
		15.3. Anthropology
		15.4. Archeology
		15.5. Social Work
		15.6. Geography

Research

^{Mural dedicated to research and knowledge (Main Library).}

Throughout its history, the National University of San Marcos has significantly contributed to the scientific development of Peru. Currently, the National University of San Marcos is one of the few Peruvian universities that conducts research – only 10 out of over 80 universities. This is mostly due to the fact the national government has not properly financed research development in the last decades.

Regarding development of research activities of San Marcos, halfway through the 20th century, the Peruvian government issued provisions to place emphasis and create areas of scientific and student-led research. As a result, throughout these years many museums and institutes have been created within San Marcos to promote research in different areas of human knowledge. During the last years of the decade of 1990 and the beginning of 2000, the university renewed its research system through the assignation of specific projects to diverse academic departments.

Research centers and institutes

There are currently over 30 centers, units and institutes of research in San Marcos. Each one of these centers or institutes are grouped according to the academic area where they develop their research, therefore they are categorized in the following general areas: health sciences, basic sciences, engineering, economy-business, and humanities.

According to their area of study, the research centers have specialized museums and laboratories where they develop and display their work. Each institute also has their own publications where they present reports and results of the work of their researchers.

Rankings

Together with the Cayetano Heredia University and the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, the National University of San Marcos is one of the only three Peruvian universities, and so far the only public one, which has managed to rank first nationally in several editions of different international university rankings. In 2021, the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) ranked the National University of San Marcos as the best university in the country, in its first ranking of the year.

Notable alumni and academics

See also Category:National University of San Marcos alumni and Category:National University of San Marcos faculty

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

• Mario Vargas Llosa, novelist, Nobel Prize in Literature (2010)
• Santiago Antúnez de Mayolo, engineer and scientist
• José María Arguedas, novelist and anthropologist
• Alberto Andrade Carmona, politician, Mayor of Lima and founder of We Are Peru.
• Alberto Barton, physician and microbiologist
• Jorge Basadre, historian
• Luis Bedoya Reyes, attorney, congressman, Mayor of Lima and founder of the Christian People's Party
• G. E. Berrios, professor of psychiatry at the University of Cambridge
• Bertha Bouroncle, physician
• Violeta Bermúdez Valdivia, current Prime Minister of Peru.
• Alfredo Bryce Echenique, novelist
• Carlos Bustamante, biophysicist
• Daniel Alcides Carrión, medical student and pioneer in medical research
• Ramiro Castro de la Mata Caamaño, scientist
• Carlos Manuel Chavez, heart surgeon
• José Santos Chocano, poet
• Antonio Cornejo-Polar, literary critic
• Marco Aurelio Denegri, literary critic, sexologist and television host.
• Luis A. Eguiguren, educator, magistrate, historian and Peruvian politician
• Alan García (LLB), President of Peru in two occasions, member of the American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (APRA)
• Godofredo García, mathematician and engineer
• Víctor Raúl Haya de la Torre, revolutionary thinker, founder of the American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (APRA)
• Cayetano Heredia, physician.
• Martha Hildebrandt, peruvian linguist.
• Elmer Huerta, physician and health communicator.
• Mariano Iberico Rodríguez, philosopher.
• Andy Martínez, athlete and national record.
• Pilar Mazzetti, former Minister of Heath.
• Francisco Miró Quesada Cantuarias, philosopher and logician.
• Óscar Miró Quesada de la Guerra, scientific journalist.
• Carlos Monge Medrano, physician.
• Ciro Gálvez, lawyer and professor of quechua.
• Bernardo O'Higgins, military officer and first President of Chile
• Valentín Paniagua Corazao, former President of Peru
• Hugo Pesce, physician and leprosy specialist
• Nicole Pillman (es), singer, songwriter and chartered public accountant.
• Manuel Prado Ugarteche, former President of Peru in two occasions
• Laura Esther Rodriguez Dulanto, first female physician in Peru
• Luis Alberto Sánchez, writer and statesman
• Manuel Scorza, novelist
• Ruth Shady, archaeologist and anthropologist
• Alberto Tejada, urologist and soccer referee.
• Gladys Tejeda, long-distance runner
• Julio C. Tello, physician, archaeologist, and anthropologist
• Oscar Ugarte, physician
• Hipólito Unanue, physician
• Abraham Valdelomar, poet and short-story writer
• Carlos Vidal Layseca, physician and professor of medicine.
• Federico Villarreal, scientist and mathematician
• Augusto Weberbauer, German naturalist
• Pedro Zulen, philosopher and librarian
• María Luisa Aguilar, Peruvian astronomer
• Esther Festini, first woman alumni

Gallery

• 
  Oil painting commemorating the foundation of the University of Lima (later named San Marcos), officially the first university in Peru and the Americas, and his manager Friar Tomas of San Martin
• 
  The historic chapter house at the Basilica and Convent of Santo Domingo, where the University of San Marcos began its operations
• 
  Drawing showing the old facade of the premises where the University of San Marcos functioned throughout the Peruvian viceroyalty. Later this place would be transferred to the nascent Congress of Peru.
• 
  Local University of San Marcos in 1920, the famous "Casona de San Marcos is currently the Centro Cultural de San Marcos
• 
  Welcome Mural Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, as he mentioned the official date of its foundation: May 12 of 1551
• 
  La Casona de San Marcos, used as the cultural center
• 
  Jorge Basadre building, used for administrative functions
• 
  Main library
• 
  San Marcos University Press
• 
  San Marcos University Gym
• 
  San Marcos University Stadium
• 
  Metallica concert at University of San Marcos
• 
  Monument of Fray Tomas de San Martín
• 
  Main auditorium
• 
  San Marcos University Clinic
• 
  Institute of Tropical Medicine
• 
  Museum of Natural History

See also

• List of universities in Peru
• Casona de la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos
• University City of the National University of San Marcos
• List of colonial universities in Latin America
• History of the National University of San Marcos seal

References

• Cayo Códova, Percy (2004). Enciclopedia Temática del Perú. TOMO III: República (in Spanish). Lima, Perú: Orbis Ventures, El Comercio. ISBN 9972-752-03-8.
• Del Busto Duthurburu, José Antonio (2004). Enciclopedia Temática del Perú. TOMO II: Conquista y Virreinato (in Spanish). Lima, Perú: Orbis Ventures, El Comercio. ISBN 9972-752-02-X.
• De León Pinelo, Antonio (1631). Por la real Universidad y escuelas generales de S. Marcos de la ciudad de Lima, en las provincias del Perú (in Spanish). Madrid, España.
• Eguiguren Escudero, Luis Antonio (1959) [1949, 1951]. Diccionario histórico-cronológico de la Real y Pontifica Universidad de San Marcos y sus colegios (in Spanish). Lima, Perú: Fondo Editorial de la UNMSM.
• Eguiguren Escudero, Luis Antonio (1951). Historia de la Universidad. La universidad en el Siglo XVI (in Spanish). Lima, Perú: Fondo Editorial de la UNMSM.
• García Cáceres, Uriel (2004). Enciclopedia Temática del Perú. TOMO XII: Salud (in Spanish). Lima, Perú: Orbis Ventures, El Comercio. ISBN 9972-752-12-7.
• García Zárate, Óscar Augusto [compilador] (2003). Hacia una nueva universidad en el Perú (in Spanish). Lima, Perú: Fondo Editorial de la UNMSM.
• González Vigil, Ricardo (2004). Enciclopedia Temática del Perú. TOMO XIV: Literatura (in Spanish). Lima, Perú: Orbis Ventures, El Comercio. ISBN 9972-752-14-3.
• Higgins, James (2005). Lima: A cultural history. Nueva York, EEUU: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-517890-4.
• Maticorena Estrada, Miguel (2000). San Marcos de Lima, Universidad Decana de América, una argumentación histórica-jurídica y el derecho indiano (in Spanish). Lima, Perú: Fondo Editorial de la UNMSM.
• Porras Barrenechea, Raúl (2010). San Marcos y la cultura peruana: Mito, tradición e historia del Perú (in Spanish). Lima, Perú: Fondo Editorial de la UNMSM.
• Sánchez Sánchez, Luis Alberto (1961). La universidad no es una isla... Un estudio, un plan, y tres discursos (in Spanish). Lima, Perú: Ediciones Perú.
• Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (2007). Catálogo Universitario y Prospecto de Admisión 2008-II (in Spanish). Lima, Perú: Centro de Producción e Imprenta de la UNMSM.
• Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (2010). Catálogo Universitario y Prospecto de Admisión 2011-I (in Spanish). Lima, Perú: Centro de Producción e Imprenta de la UNMSM.
• Valcárcel Esparza, Carlos Daniel (1981). Historia de la Universidad de San Marcos (1551–1980) (in Spanish). Caracas: Academia Nacional de la Historia.
• Valcárcel Esparza, Carlos Daniel (2001). San Marcos, Universidad Decana de América (in Spanish). Lima, Perú: Fondo Editorial de la UNMSM. ISBN 9972-46-140-8.
• López Soria, José Ignacio; et al. (2004). Enciclopedia Temática del Perú. TOMO XI: Ciencia y Tecnología (in Spanish). Lima, Perú: Orbis Ventures, El Comercio. ISBN 9972-752-11-9.
• Peña Rodríguez, Víctor Antonio; et al. (2002). La Producción científica en San Marcos (1995-2001) (in Spanish). Lima, Perú: Fondo Editorial de la UNMSM.
• Summerfield, Carol J.; et al. (1998). International Dictionary of University Histories. Chicago, Illinois, EEUU: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers. ISBN 1-884964-23-0.

External links

• (in Spanish) Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos website
• (in Spanish) Faculty of Medicine website