The National Polytechnic Institute (Spanish: Instituto Politécnico Nacional), abbreviated IPN, is one of the largest public universities in Mexico with 171,581 students[16] at the high school, undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It is the second-best university in Mexico in the technical and engineering domain according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2018.[22] It was founded on 1 January 1936 during the administration of President Lázaro Cárdenas.[23]

National Polytechnic Institute
Instituto Politécnico Nacional
A cogwheel. On its right, the stylized form of a building. On its center, a scale in balance and a flask surrounded by a snake. On its top, the acronym "IPN".
Official Seal
MottoLa Técnica al Servicio de la Patria[1]
Motto in English
The Technique at the Service of the Fatherland[2]
TypePublic
Established1 January 1936[3]
FounderJuan de Dios Bátiz Paredes [es] and Lázaro Cárdenas del Río
Academic affiliations
AMECYD,[4] ANUIES,[5] AUIP,[6] CLARA,[7] COMEPO,[8] CUDI,[9] ECOES,[10] OUI,[11] UDUAL,[12] Universia[13]
DirectorArturo Reyes Sandoval [14][15]
Academic staff
16,445 (as of 2022)[16]
Administrative staff
9,144 (as of 2022)[16]
Students216,274 (as of 2022)[16]
Undergraduates135,558 (as of 2022)[16]
Postgraduates6,282 (as of 2022)[16]
Other students
74,434 (high school) (as of 2022)[16]
Location,
Mexico

19°30′02″N 99°08′23″W / 19.50056°N 99.13972°W / 19.50056; -99.13972
CampusSeveral across Mexico, mostly urban[17]
ColorsMaroon and white[18]
   
NicknameBurros Blancos
Sporting affiliations
ONEFA Central Conference[19][20]
MascotWhite donkey[21]
Websitewww.ipn.mx

The institute consists of 98 academic units offering 290 courses of study.[16] It includes 57 technical careers, 79 undergraduate and 154 postgraduate programs.[16] Its main campus, called 'Unidad Profesional Adolfo López Mateos' or 'Zacatenco', located in northern Mexico City, covers approximately 530 acres (2.1 km2) .[17]

The IPN is based primarily in Mexico City, but with several research institutes and facilities distributed over 22 states.[16]

History

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Marquee at the main entrance of the Adolfo López Mateos campus

The institute was founded on January 1, 1936, during the administration of President Lázaro Cárdenas in what had been previously known as the Ex hacienda Santo Tomás — a large estate initially owned by Spanish conqueror Hernán Cortés in the 16th century[23] and donated by the federal government.[24]

Prominent astronomer Luis Enrique Erro, former revolutionary Juan de Dios Bátiz Paredes and former minister of education Narciso Bassols were among its initial promoters.[24]

During the administration of former director Alejo Peralta sufficient lands were given to IPN. Expropriated lands of Santa Maria Ticomán (213 ha) and San Pedro Zacatenco (43 ha) were used.[17]

The construction of what is now the Professional Unit "Adolfo López Mateos" (Zacatenco) began in 1958. In 1959, former President Adolfo López Mateos, the former minister of education Jaime Torres Bodet, and former director of IPN Eugenio Mendez Docurro, inaugurated the first four buildings of Zacatenco, which were occupied by the Superior School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (ESIME) and the Superior School of Engineering and Architecture (ESIA).[17]

Organization

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IPN entrance

The institute is organized around 98 academic units[16] including 18 vocational high schools (operates as CECyT), 26 university colleges, 20 scientific and technical research centers, 17 continuing education centers, 4 units for educational support, 3 support units for education innovation, 8 support units for research, development and technological and enterprise foment, and 2 units affiliated to science, enterprise research and development.

These schools are primarily in Mexico City, although several extension and research facilities are distributed over 22 states.[16]

Some units (particularly the semi-autonomous, internationally renowned CINVESTAV) enjoy a high degree of academic and budgetary freedom. The institute as a whole is headed by a director-general appointed by the President of Mexico, usually (but not always) after some consultation with members of its academic community.[25] Since December 2020, its director-general has been Arturo Reyes Sandoval.

In addition to its academic endeavors, and as part of its cultural promotion strategy, the institute operates 'Canal Once' ('Channel Eleven'), the oldest public broadcast service in Latin America[26] featuring original cultural, scientific, information and entertainment programming, foreign shows and classic, rare, and non-commercial films from all over the world.

Academics

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One of the schools of the National Polytechnic Institute specializing in business studies.

The institute offers 80 undergraduate programs[16] leading to four- or five-year bachelor's degrees and 135 postgraduate programs[16] leading to 29 postgraduate diplomas,[16] 70 master's degrees[16] and 36 doctorate degrees.[16]

Like most public universities in Mexico, in addition to its undergraduate and graduate schools the institute sponsors several vocational high schools called 'Centros de Estudios Científicos y Tecnológicos' (C.E.C. y T.), most of which are in Greater Mexico City. Upon completion, they lead to a technician degree. For this level of study, the institute offers 78 technical careers.[16]

Athletics

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IPN fields 27 varsity teams in sports or activities such as archery, American football, athletics, baseball, basketball, body building, bowling, boxing, chess, cycling, frontenis, gymnastics, handball, indoor soccer, judo, karate, kendo, mountaineering, rowing, soccer, swimming, taekwondo, tennis, touch football, volleyball, weightlifting, and wrestling.[27]

The university maintains a fierce rivalry with all the athletic teams from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM); it has a particularly bitter competition with UNAM's football program, the "Pumas Dorados" (Golden Pumas).

Notable people

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Notable alumni

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Scientists and technologists

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Guillermo González Camarena

Politicians

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Azcapotzalco
 
Cultural center Jaime Torres Bodet

Notable faculty

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ National Polytechnic Institute. "Lema" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on May 6, 2009. Retrieved October 6, 2009.
  2. ^ National Polytechnic Institute. "Identity". Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  3. ^ National Polytechnic Institute. "Compendio histórico 1930-1939" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on February 19, 2010. Retrieved October 6, 2009.
  4. ^ Asociación Mexicana de Educación Continua y a Distancia A.C. (AMECYD). "Instituciones Afiliadas" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 27, 2009. Retrieved December 9, 2009.
  5. ^ Asociación Nacional de Universidades e Instituciones de Eduación Superior (ANUIES). "Instituciones Afiliadas, Distrito Federal" (in Spanish). Retrieved December 9, 2009.
  6. ^ Asociación Universitaria Iberoamericana de Postgrado (AUIP). "Asociadas a la AUIP" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on October 2, 2009. Retrieved December 9, 2009.
  7. ^ Cooperación Latinoamericana de Redes Avanzadas (CLARA). "Miembros México" (in Spanish). Retrieved December 9, 2009.
  8. ^ Consejo Mexicano de Estudios de Posgrado A.C. (COMEPO). "COMEPO - Miembros Afiliados" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 2, 2007. Retrieved December 9, 2009.
  9. ^ Corporación Universitaria para el Desarrollo de Internet A.C. (CUDI). "Membresía CUDI. Universidades, Centros e Instituciones de Investigación" (PDF) (in Spanish). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 24, 2009. Retrieved December 9, 2009.
  10. ^ Espacio Común de Educación Superior (ECOES). "Instituciones Participantes" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on April 13, 2010. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
  11. ^ Organización Universitaria Interamericana (OUI). "Miembros" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on January 21, 2010. Retrieved December 9, 2009.
  12. ^ Unión de Universidades de América Latina (UDUAL). "Directorio de Instituciones Afiliadas a la UDUAL" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on December 22, 2008. Retrieved December 9, 2009.
  13. ^ Universia Mexico. "Instituto Politécnico Nacional" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on November 24, 2009. Retrieved December 9, 2009.
  14. ^ National Polytechnic Institute. "Director General".
  15. ^ Quadratin México. "Designan a Enrique Fernández Fassnacht director del IPN".
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r National Polytechnic Institute. "Informe Anual de Actividades 2022" (PDF) (in Spanish). Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  17. ^ a b c d Universia Mexico (March 20, 2009). "Conmemora IPN 50 aniversario de la unidad "Adolfo López Mateos"" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved October 6, 2009.
  18. ^ "Guía de identidad gráfica institucional del Instituto Politécnico Nacional" (PDF). ipn.mx (in Spanish). Instituto Politécnico Nacional. p. 8. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  19. ^ Vanguardia. "Se divide la ONEFA; Nacen la Conferencia del Centro y la Conferencia de los Seis Grandes" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on February 19, 2013. Retrieved December 9, 2009.
  20. ^ esmas.com. "Se divide la ONEFA, con la creación de la Conferencia del Centro" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on September 13, 2009. Retrieved December 9, 2009.
  21. ^ National Polytechnic Institute. "Mascota" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on April 12, 2009. Retrieved October 6, 2009.
  22. ^ "Engineering and Technology". Top Universities. 2018-02-22. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
  23. ^ a b National Polytechnic Institute. "Antecedentes del Centro Histórico y Cultural "Juan de Dios Bátiz"" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on April 11, 2010. Retrieved December 9, 2009.
  24. ^ a b National Polytechnic Institute. "Historia" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on November 23, 2007. Retrieved November 25, 2007.
  25. ^ La Jornada. "Villa Rivera: nombrar director del IPN, facultad sólo del Presidente" (in Spanish). Retrieved November 25, 2007.
  26. ^ Canal Once. "Acerca de Canal Once" (in Spanish). Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  27. ^ National Polytechnic Institute. "Disciplinas" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on June 1, 2010. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
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