Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco (Juárez Autonomous University of Tabasco, also known as UJAT) is a public institution of higher learning located in Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico. The mission of the university is "to prepare professionals with broad and deep expertise in their area of study to fill the needs of Tabasco and the country at large." UJAT: Conocenos - Mision Retrieved: February 12, 2008. UJAT is the largest and most prominent university in the state of Tabasco.Dirección de la Secretaria de Gobierno, Periodico Oficial , Decreto 0666, Seccion "E", No. 4724, State of Tabasco, December 19, 1987. Retrieved February 13, 2008.Most Important Universities of Tabasco Retrieved October 20, 2008.UJAT among top 10 universities in Mexico Retrieved October 20, 2008.UJAT 36th of 317 Most Prominent Universities in Mexico Retrieved October 20, 2008. Updated January 1, 2009. During the 2007-2008 academic year the university enrolled 35,271 students and had a teaching staff of over 2,000. For the same school year the university offered bachelor's degrees in 36 disciplines, master's degrees in 26 areas, three doctoral degrees, and post-graduate Certificates (Especialidades) in 17 graduate areas of specialization (mostly in the medical field). The university grants law, education, management, engineering, medicine, architecture, nursing, and dentistry degrees, plus some 30 additional degrees in other fields of study.

History

Juarez Institute The origin of the university dates back to 1860, when the governor of Tabasco, Víctor Dueñas, asked President Benito Juárez for funds to establish a secondary, preparatory, and college-level educational institution to serve the community of Tabasco; such funds were granted a year later.Dirección de Relaciones Públicas y Difusión, Instituto Juárez , Página Universitaria 821, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, November 26, 2003. However, it was not until January 1, 1879, that new institution opened its doors to the public as the Instituto Juárez (Juárez Institute). This took place with the support of governor Simón Sarlat Nova and the liberal politician and writer Manuel Sánchez Mármol, who became the first director of the institution. The first enrollment consisted of less than 100 students in nine academic disciplines: agriculture, veterinary medicine, land surveying, public notary, law, management, education, jurisprudence, and pharmacy.First Enrollments and Degrees Offered Retrieved February 13, 2008 On August 1, 1947, the institute was admitted into the National Association of Universities and Institutions of Higher Education (ANUIES) in Mexico.Admitted into ANUIES in 1947 Retrieved October 26, 2008.

Transformation into a University The 1950s saw an interest in changing the name of the school to better reflect its focus on higher learning. "In 1958, Lic. Antonio Ocampo Ramírez, Director of the Juárez Institute, put together a bill to transform the Institute into a University. On November 20, 1958, the Juárez Institute was renamed to Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco by a Tabasco state legislature decree School Turns into UJAT on Nov 20, 1958. Retrieved October 26, 2008. Antonio Ocampo Ramírez was the last director of the Institute and the first rector of the new institution."Dirección de Relaciones Públicas y Difusión, Instituto Juárez becomes JUT , Página Universitaria 821, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, November 26, 2003. Retrieved October 26, 2008.

In 1958, while General Miguel Orrico de los Llanos was the governor of Tabasco, the Juárez Institute became the Juarez University of Tabasco."Becomes UJT - Universidad Juarez de Tabasco Retrieved October 26, 2008. In February 1964, Lic. Adolfo López Mateos, President of Mexico, inaugurated the Zona de la Cultura, or Cultural Zone, at the site where the University currently has its main campus on Avenida Universidad.Dirección de Relaciones Públicas y Difusión, Instituto Juárez , Página Universitaria 821, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, November 26, 2003. Retrieved October 26, 2008. "As a result, a significant number of the degree programs offered at the old Institute's location were moved to their new quarters."Move to new University quarters Retrieved October 26, 2008.

Autonomous University In December 1966, while Manuel R. Mora Martínez was the governor of the State, and Dr. Miguel A. Gómez Ventura was the rector of the school, the university became an autonomous entity, "becoming then the Juárez Autonomous University of Tabasco." "December 1966, is a memorable date, as it was then that the university was granted its autonomy, becoming from that point forward, the Juárez Autonomous University of Tabasco."Receives Autonomy and becomes UJAT Retrieved October 26, 2008.

Decentralization In July 1966, the university started the process of decentralization with the separation of its Preparatory School, and the construction and inauguration of the College of Veterinary Medicine on the Villahermosa-Teapa Road. Decentralization continued in 1978 with the inauguration of facilities for the College of Law in Colonia Reforma, Villahermosa, and in 1982, with the establishment in Cunduacán of the College of Engineering and Architecture. In 2008, the university consisted of 10 divisions on 7 campuses spread over three municipalities of the State of Tabasco. There are campuses in four colonies in the Municipality of Centro in Villahermosa.Decentralization Retrieved October 26, 2008.

Accelerated Growth On December 11, 1987, in light of "technological changes," the State of Tabasco passed the Organic Law of the Juarez Autonomous University of Tabasco, intended to establish a modern organizational structure at the university that could serve as the basis for dealing with the "accelerated growth" in student registration and stimulating the university to transform itself into "a center of academic excellence".

As a result, the last 20 years have seen a significant amount of growth at the university. For example, in 1997, the university started the Extension Program at facilities in the town of Tenosique. This Extension Program includes a distance learning program amongst its various other academic offerings. In 2007, the Extension Program became the College of Multidisciplinary Studies at Los Ríos.

The 2010s also saw the UJAT make a major push into broadcasting. In 2011, XHUJAT-FM 107.3 "Radio UJAT" took to the air, and in November 2016, it was joined by a television station, XHUJAT-TDT 35.

Location

The university facilities are located in mostly urban areas and follow primarily a decentralized model. The facilities are distributed over nine campuses – six in the capital city of Villahermosa and three in the municipality of Cunduacán. There is also an extension program (formally, the Multidisciplinary College of los Ríos) that operates from the town of Tenosique. The central offices of the university, as well as its main campus, are located on Avenida Universidad, Villahermosa, and it hosts the College of Education and Arts, and the College of Economics and Management. The Colleges of Health Sciences, Life Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities, and Agricultural and Fish Sciences are located at various other campuses in the city of Villahermosa. The College of Systems and Informatics, the College of Basic Sciences, and the College of Engineering and Architecture are located in Cunduacán.

In January 2009, the university began construction of its tenth Academic Division in the town of Comalcalco. With an initial budget of 38 million Mexican pesos, this new location will be called the Multidisciplinary Division of Comalcalco. The municipality of Comalcalco is located about 45 miles from the city of Villahermosa, and the university expects the new location to benefit some 865 students from the Chontalpa region currently enrolled at the university's other locations. Construction is expected to be completed by mid-2009 and the new facilities will consist mostly of classrooms, laboratories, and a library. Instruction will be primarily in the health sciences.Construction of the Comalcalco Campus , Boletin Universitario, January 16, 2009. Retrieved on January 27, 2009.

Accreditation The university has been accredited at the national level by the Asociación Nacional de Universidades e Instituciones de Educación Superior (National Association of universities and Institutions of Higher Learning) since August 1, 1947.Accredited by ANUIES in 1947 Retrieved on October 26, 2008. The nursing, psychology, economics, management, public accounting, and labor relations programs are accredited at the national level by the Consejo para la Acreditación de la Educación Superior (COPAES). The program on dental surgery is accredited nationally by the Comité de Acreditación del Consejo Nacional de Educación Odontológica (CONAEDO). The medical surgeon program is accredited at the national level by the Consejo Mexicano para la Acreditación de la Educación Médica (COMAEM). The biology and ecology programs are accredited by the Comité para la Acreditacion de la Licenciatura en Biologia (CACEB).

September 11, 2008, saw the accreditation of two more academic programs in the College of Agricultural and Fish Sciences: agronomy and food engineering.Entrega de la Acreditacion a las Ingenierias en Agronomia y en Alimentos. ,Gaceta Juchiman, Año 4, Numero 77, pag. 5, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, October 1, 2008. Retrieved October 20, 2008. These two programs received nationwide accreditation by the Comité Mexicano de Acreditacion de la Educacion Agronomica (COMEAA). The Communications program was accredited on September 30, 2008, by the Consejo para la Acreditación de la Comunicación (CONAC).Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Cerca de la Acreditacion, La Licenciatura en Comunicacion ,Gaceta Juchiman, Año 5, Numero 76, pag. 8, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, September 15, 2008.Certification of Accreditation of the Communications Program Retrieved October 21, 2008. The Education program was accredited on December 11, 2009, by the Comité para la Evaluación de Programas de Pedagogía y Educación A.C. (CEPPE).Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco,Acreditación de la Licenciatura en Ciencias de la Educación.,Gaceta Juchiman, Año 6, Numero 97, page 9, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, March 1, 2010. The program on Architecture is also accredited, according to a November 3, 2009, report in the school's Juchiman periodical.Avanza la Acreditacion de Programas de Estudios en Ingenieria y Arquitectura. Universidad Juarez Autonoma de Tabasco: Gaceta Juchiman, Año 6, No. 93. Page 15. (In Spanish) Retrieved April 23, 2010.

While the university as a whole is accredited by ANUIES, program-specific accreditation, when available, is sought by its colleges. An example is the College of Basic Sciences which is currently (2008) seeking accreditation for each one of its program offerings. Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, La DACB Avanza Hacia la Acreditacion de sus Carreras ,Gaceta Juchiman, Año 4, Numero 63, pag. 8, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, November 15, 2007. The university has also created an internal commission for the self-evaluation of its post graduate programs.Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Comision Evaluadora de Programas de Post Grado ,Gaceta Juchiman, Año 5, Numero 76, pag. 8, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, September 15, 2008. On January 22, 2008, the Rectory pledged to obtain accreditation for each and all of the remaining academic offerings at the university.Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Eventos Universitarios, Boletines Universitarios, La Mtra. Candita Victoria Gil Jiménez rindió protesta como Rectora de la UJAT ,Eventos Universitarios, Boletines Universitarios, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, January 22, 2008.

Institutional quality