Education

What is university? »Its definition and meaning

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Anonim

A university is an institution of higher education, divided into faculties according to the specialties of study that it can offer. The term also applies to the building for higher education. The modern University was born in Western Europe in the 13th century as an autonomous community of teachers and disciples who came together to share academic facilities and accommodation. It is an institution organized for the mutual benefit and legal protection of this group.

What is university

Table of Contents

The definition of university comes from the abbreviation of the Latin expression universitas magistrorum et scholarium (union - or union - of teachers and students) and, as mentioned previously, it is an institution that is responsible for providing higher education to a A specific group of people who have previously completed a basic level of education (primary and secondary). This institution is in charge of granting disciplinary degrees to its students after they have successfully completed their educational period.

In principle, the university guild was medieval and had a leading role thanks to the permits and collective rights that the princes and members of the nobility granted. The idea of ​​creating this figure was freedom of knowledge, granting academic degrees that would allow the renown of certain people due to their great knowledge and that, in addition, these were taken into account in different aspects of life. The concept of university is quite specific, but it also encompasses other important aspects, for example, its origin and history of the university.

The origin of the university

Before even knowing what the university is, it is very important to know its origin. This is one of the oldest institutions in history, beginning with the title of cathedral schools, then they were known as studium generals until, in the year 533, thanks to Justiniano, it began to be called Universitas (as the name in its definition).

According to history, these institutions were born from the 12th century, this due to the conflicts that arose between scholars from different disciplines and the Catholic Church. The origin of the university goes beyond knowledge, it also has to do with power and that was recorded in history.

University history

Its appearance is European, despite the fact that in the past there were already some schools that taught higher education, for example, the University of Constantinople, created in the year 340 but, legally (or historically) history strengthens the appearance of these institutions in Europe to late 12th century and early 13th century. It was between these centuries, specifically in the year 1088, that the University of Bologna was created, known for being the mother of universities throughout the world (whose specialty is the career of law).

After them, more universities were created throughout Europe, including Oxford, created in 1096, Cambridge in 1208, Carolina de Prague in 1348, Complutense University of Madrid in 1499, among others. All were created in order to educate and be educated, to have a conglomerate of people who had a firm goal: Learn, teach, use knowledge in different ways and create a gap in the world between what is correct, what is learned and an uncertain future full of theories and knowledge that would change the world.

Elements of a university

Like any term, universities have a series of elements that not only characterize them, but are also their Achilles heel. If one of these elements is missing, then you are not facing a higher education institution and that must be quite clear. The sense of belonging is that it makes people realize that the educational institution is something beyond a simple infrastructure that welcomes a group of people.

It is the career being studied, the alma mater (a philosophical but important term), the campus that makes up that institution, the development of the knowledge obtained there and, consequently, the scientific development that little by little will be used. All this manages to form an institution that creates freedoms, applies doctrines, expands knowledge and trains a group of professionals willing to give their best in everyday life.

Careers

It is the specific study of a discipline, including, of course, everything related to it (from history to disciplines that collaborate with it). Careers are studied at universities and the objective is to obtain a university degree that validates the years of study and that, in addition, shows that the person is qualified to exercise this career at a professional level in work areas.

Many universities tend to specialize in the development of curricula or study programs in very specific professions and, in fact, these types of academic methods have made them famous for the number of trained professionals who come out of the faculties of different careers. For example, the University of Cambridge is famous for its high level of education, multiple students from different European countries, mastery of more than English and French, and for its graduates, including Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein.

The Alma Mater

It is a metaphorical and philosophical term to refer to an institution of higher education. Its genesis comes from the word Mother Nutricia, as it feeds and nourishes the knowledge in the minds of each of the people who have attended university degrees. The locution of this word began to be used after the creation of the University of Bologna, making reference to the mother of universities and the feeling of belonging to her, denoting pride and gratitude at the same time.

The Campus

It is nothing more than the buildings and grounds that make up the university institution. The campus, also known as the university campus, began to be used formally in the mid-20th century as a whole to refer to the university (including libraries, classrooms, hospitals, if applicable, laboratories, museums, parks, colleges, schools, areas sports, shops, cafeterias, student residences, etc). Campus is also considered to be the cyber space used by teachers and students to complete tasks or homework (educational websites).

The development of knowledge

These teaching centers exist not only to train future professionals in different areas, but also to promote free thought on various topics, from religious, sociological and political. It is a space for each person to find themselves, notice their potential and the level of courage they have to face each test that comes their way.

This development is imperative and each student will obtain his according to his abilities. Precisely for this reason, when the student finishes his career and becomes a professional, society has won a new human being, someone with a broader way of seeing things.

Scientific development

This could be one of the most important sections of the post, because, thanks to the universities, different cures for diseases have been discovered, infinities of scientific methods have been created, technologies that little by little have been overcome and endless practices that they have changed the world. This is where the alma mater takes more life, more prominence, because the student, together with his teacher, will see what he has been capable of (regardless of whether it is history or not), he has developed his potential and gone far with his knowledge. For practical tests, there is Albert Einstein.

University types

When people refer to institutions of higher learning, they automatically think of huge campuses, diverse studies, rigorous professors, and large tuition to pay. However, you have to know that there are really 3 types of university: public, private and open. Each one of them have the same objective: To train a wide group of people so that they can face working life in their native country or anywhere in the world, providing them with knowledge about the career taken, political, social and moral information.

Public university

It is an institution financed by the State, and may be from a national government or sub-national entities. This means that the student body does not have to pay for a study fee because there is already an entity (call it government or agencies) that covers all the expenses that study entails (payment for cleaning, food, infrastructure, etc.). Most of the existing public universities in the world are in charge of open research on various topics.

Private university

Unlike the previous one, this institution does not have financing from a government or any governmental entity, therefore, it requires the payment of a special tuition that varies according to the degree that the student applies, of course, by submitting an application prior to study at these institutions. The reduction of budgets or political changes are not something that affect this type of university (the public, this represents a big problem). Another way that these universities are financed is under patents for research done in their territory or donations.

Open university

It is a way to pursue higher education without having to attend campus. This means that the classes are at a distance, that implies that the internet is used 100%. The most notable benefits are the flexibility of the schedule (excellent for those who have difficulty attending face-to-face classes on a college campus.

The most important universities in Mexico

People will always want to know which is the best institution of higher education to pursue their studies, after all, the more reputable the university is, the more accepted its university degree will be in companies or on job sites anywhere in the world, in this case, of the Mexican territory. Next, we will talk about some of the most important universities in Mexico.

UNAM

It is the National Autonomous University of Mexico, public and one of the best universities in Latin America. It is known to contain specialties in arts, technology and research. Its campus is one of the largest existing in the world and meets a fairly high student enrollment, so, in addition to being famous, it is important for Mexicans, practically a national and cultural heritage in the territory. UNAM was founded in 1910 and since then it has encompassed countless students who have made a difference throughout Mexico.

University of Guanajuato

It is also a public institution of higher and higher education. It is located in the state of Guanajuato and its specialties lie in offering educational programs in all areas of knowledge, including 72 bachelor's degrees, 49 master's degrees, 22 doctorates, 25 specialties, 2 at higher technical university levels, studies in general baccalaureate with 10 locations distributed by the State, 4 preparatory areas in the bivalent baccalaureate system and online studies at upper secondary, higher, postgraduate levels and certifications. The University of Guanajuato is the second best institution in Mexico.

University of the South

It is a private university located in Chiapas that offers careers in the areas of social sciences, humanities and behavioral, economics, industry and health. It is known for its large enrollment of students who, despite knowing the cost of it, continue to pursue careers at the institution due to their educational path. The Universidad del Sur is one of the most prestigious private institutions in all of Mexico.

Insurgent University

It is a university in which you can get specialties in less time than a conventional university. The insurgentes university offers at least 25 majors to take in morning and evening shifts and has educational plans similar to those of UNAM.

University panameric

It is a private institution (of Catholic origin) whose foundation was carried out in 1976 and is located in Guadalajara. The Pan-American University was known for being a business institution, but little by little more degrees were added in different areas. This institution has 3 campuses throughout Guadalajara and an official headquarters.