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The 'University of Chile' (Spanish: ''Universidad de Chile'') is one of the oldest universities in America, and is the largest and arguably the most prestigious in Chile along with the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. The university is often called ''Casa de Bello'' (House of Bello) in honour of its founder and first principal, Andrés Bello.

Contents

History

Background

Universidad de Chile

Major Reforms during Military Regime of 1973-1989

Colleges and campuses

Related institutions and services

See also

References

External links

History

Background

Higher education in Chile in colonial times dates back to 1622, when on 19 August of that year, the first university in Chile, ''Santo Tomás de Aquino'', was founded. On 28 July 1738, its name changed to ''Real Universidad de San Felipe'', in honour of King Philip V of Spain.

Universidad de Chile

In 1841 the minister of public education, Manuel Montt, conceived the idea of funding a corporation for the "advancement and development of sciences and humanities". Andrés Bello formulated the project which with small modifications became a law on 19 November 1842, creating the Universidad de Chile.
The Universidad de Chile was formally opened on 17 September 1843. During this period, the university consisted of five faculties (''facultades''): Humanities & Philosophy, Mathematical Sciences & Physics, Law & Political Sciences, Medicine, and Theology. By 1931, the number of colleges had increased to six: Philosophy & Education Sciences, Legal & Social Sciences, Biology & Medical Sciences, Physical & Mathematical Sciences, Agronomy & Veterinary, and Fine Arts.
Almost all of Chile's presidents, including all of those in the 20th century with the exception of Eduardo Frei Montalva (Universidad Catolica de Chile), Carlos Ibáñez del Campo and Augusto Pinochet Ugarte (both Army Generals) graduated from this institution.

Major Reforms during Military Regime of 1973-1989

During Augusto Pinochet's military regime from 1973 to 1989, the University suffered many profound changes, some of which greatly weakened the University's academic, economic and social influence. On 2 October 1973, Decree number 50 stated that the University's Presidents would be designated by the Military Joint.
The second major blow to the University's integrity came on 3 January 1981, when another Decree completely restructured the University. All of its provincial campuses were separated, cojoined with provincial campuses of the Universidad Técnica del Estado (now Universidad de Santiago de Chile) and designated as separate universities, such as the Universidad de Talca, Universidad de Valparaiso, the Instituto Pedagógico (Pedagogical Institute, now the Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación), the Universidad de Antofagasta, the Universidad de Tarapacá, Instituto Profesional de Osorno (now Universidad de los Lagos), Instituto Profesional de Chillán (now Universidad del Bío-Bío), Universidad de la Frontera, and Universidad de la Serena.
In spite of the complete restructuring of the University, it still remains as Chile's most prestigious university in terms of research, applicant preferences and social impact.

Colleges and campuses

The University holds 16 faculties distributed in 13 campi:


★ Casa Central: Headquarters. Main administrative services.

★ Campus Antumapu: Located in southern Santiago, holds the Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, the Faculty of Forestry Sciences and the Faculty of Veterinary and Bovine Sciences. (Web site)

★ Campus Andrés Bello: Located in Downtown Santiago, holds the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism and the Faculty of Economic and Business.

★ Campus Juan Gómez Millas: Located in the Nuñoa district of Santiago, holds the Bachelor Program, the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Philosophy & Humanities, the Faculty of Social Sciences and the School of Journalism.

★ Campus Medicine (North): Holds the University's Clinic Hospital, the Faculty of Chemical & Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Faculty of Medicine. (Web site)

★ Campus Medicine (South): Site of the Exequiel González Cortés Hospital.

★ Campus Medicine (East): Holds the Mental Health Unit.

★ Campus Medicine (Center): Holds the San Borja-Arriarán Clinic Hospital.

★ Campus Medicine (West): Holds part of the Faculty of Medicine.

★ Campus Miraflores: Holds the Faculty of Dentistry. (Web site)

★ Campus Pío Nono: Holds the Faculty of Law. (Web site)

★ Campus Beaucheff: Holds the Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and the School of Engineering. (Web site)

Related institutions and services

The University of Chile is in charge of a variety of nationwide services and institutions, including:

★ The National Astronomical Observatory, functioning since 1852

★ The Chilean Commission on Nuclear Energy (CCHEN)

★ Investigative efforts in Antarctica, since 1940

★ Official seismological service and volcanic activity vigilance, since 1908

★ Chile's Symphonic Orchestra, since 1941

★ Chile's National Ballet, since 1945

★ Symphonic Chorus, since 1945

★ Centre for Byzantine, Neohellenic, Arabic and Judaic Culture Studies

★ Largest Clinical Hospital in the country

★ Institute for Easter Island Studies

★ Centre for Space-related Studies, with collaborative activities at NASA, and other international agencies

★ Universidad de Chile Theatre

★ Nutrition and Food Technology Institute (INTA)

★ Museum of Popular American Art, since 1947

★ Experimental Theatre (1944) (later National Theatre of Chile)

★ Chile's NIC.

★ The Institute for Experimentation and Research of Materials, IDIEM.
And more than twenty other centres of national and international importance.

See also

★ Notable alumni of the University of Chile

References

★ A brief history of the University of Chile (in Spanish) Reseña Histórica de la Universidad de Chile

★ Information on the University of Chile's research (in Spanish) Investigación en Cifras

External links

★ Official Web Site