Universidad Francisco Marroquín
Encyclopedia
Universidad Francisco Marroquín ("Francisco Marroquín University") is a private, secular, university in Guatemala City
, Guatemala
. According to the school's website, "the mission of Universidad Francisco Marroquín is to teach and disseminate the ethical, legal and economic principles of a sociey of free and responsible persons." The website also states that UFM "has the most rigorous entrance requirements in the country."
According to Milton Friedman
, UFM is "one of the leading universities in Latin America."http://newmedia.ufm.edu/gsm/index.php?title=Interview_with_Rose_and_Milton_Friedman
, an early bishop of Guatemala
and translator of Central American languages.
Started by members of Centro de Estudios Economico-Sociales ("Center for Economic and Social Studies") with $40,000 and 125 students, UFM now (as of 2009) boasts next to 2700 undergraduate students, and 1500 graduate students.
The Philosophy Statement of UFM says that universities need to place themselves beyond the conflicts of their time so that science and academic freedom -which humankind will need at all times- may be preserved.
Classes began January 15, 1972 with programs on Law, Economic Sciences, Business Administration and Theology. UFM was meant to be a small college. The School of Business began in 1973; the School of Architecture was founded in 1974; the School of Psychology followed in 1975. The grad school on Social Sciences was established in 1977; and in 1978 a School on Computer Sciences began operations. Later on, in 2001, the school on Computer Sciences became a different university.
The School of Medicine was funded in 1980, and the School of Odontology was established in 1982. The Institute of Political Studies was funded in 1983. A Department on Communication Sciences was established in 1983, but in 2001 it also became a different university.
Undergraduate
Licenciatura degree (Licentiate)In most of Latin America, the degree that is most commonly awarded to undergraduate students is called licenciatura. Traditionally, it includes several more academic credits than a B.A. or B.S.
Disciplines:Architecture; business administration; clinical nutrition; economics; education; international relations; law; political studies; public accounting and auditing; psychology (clinical and industrial).
M.D. / D.D.S.
Students are admitted directly into medical and dental schools as high school graduates. They follow a three-year program of basic science studies, upon completion of which they receive a B.S. degree. This
is followed by four years of medical or three of dental studies, and one year of internship for medical students (none for dental students). Upon completion, graduates receive an M.D. or D.D.S. degree.
Associate degree
Disciplines: Art history; personnel administration.
Profesorado degree
The profesorado is a specialized degree for secondary school teachers. In many cases, it is required for employment. Disciplines: Art history; computer studies; social sciences and language.
Graduate
Master degree
Disciplines:
Business administration (MBA); entrepreneurial economics; international political economy
; international relations; finance and taxation; management of human resources; social sciences.
The MBA program offers the possibility of online and/or traditional classroom instruction. The entrepreneurial economics and the international political economy programs are available only through online instruction. The former also requires two weeks of traditional classroom instruction at the School of Management in Boston University.
Master degree in the following medical specialties: internal medicine; ophthalmology; pediatrics; radiology.
Doctoral degree
Economics; law; social sciences
Specialization
The Department of Psychology offers specialization programs that work as a platform for a master's degree abroad.
Disciplines: Psychobiology; learning skills.
Webpage (in Spanish):
The library at UFM has 100,000 visitors annually and is the most extensive collection of works on liberty in Latin America. There is a collection of the private libraries of prominent intellectuals and collectors:
At the beginning of the New Millennium the Library started offering access to digital resources. It is subscribed to other services in this area including EBSCOHost databases, Oxford Scholarship Online, xRefer Plus and UpToDate, MDConsult and others.
The library was chosen amongst all the libraries around the World within the 10 libraries to receive the Elsevier donation of 670 titles.
The library site received the Arroba de Oro award in Guatemala for the best educational website.
Henry Hazlitt Center
Webpage (in Spanish): http://chh.ufm.edu/
The purpose of the Henry Hazlitt Center is to coordinate the courses of Economic Process (I,II and III) and Social Philosophy (Hayek, and the Austrian School) that are offered to all the students at UFM in Pregrad level, in all the schools. It also offers seminars and lectures for professors in order to improve their academic and pedagogic skills.
Center for the Study of Capitalism
Webpage: http://capitalismo.ufm.edu/index.php/At_a_Glance
Founded in 2009 with the support of Universidad Francisco Marroquín as a private, secular, coeducational, nonresidential, nonprofit center of study. The Center organizes socratic dialogue sessions with high school students and young entrepreneurs to study philosophical values as guides to excellence in thinking and action. Since its foundation, more than a thousand participants have joined philosophical discussions.
Arboretum
Webpage (in Spanish): http://arboretum.ufm.edu/
Awakening and cultivating the love for nature and conservation of plants and animals in the Campus. The land where the University Francisco Marroquin stands, is a remnant of the Montano Forest, pine and Encino trees, that used to cover Guatemala’s surface. The beautiful gardens that the University has have been carefully designed to integrate native and exotic species that have been admired by students and visitors. Since the beginning preservation of this forest was a priority to the point where the Ludwig von Mises Library architectural design of the buildings was done so the trees were kept as intact as possible. We decided to take our effort much further and this is why the Arboretum was created so now we are preserving and studying many species.
New Media Department
Webpage (in Spanish): http://www.newmedia.ufm.edu/
CREATION, IMPLEMENTATION & EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF DIGITAL RESOURCES
The New Media Department specializes in streaming audio and video conferences in English and Spanish on topics related to classical liberal thought.
Sampler
The New Media digital library includes 1,500 hours of digitized and indexed educational material, and receives over 1,000 visitors daily from around the world.
Museo Popol Vuh
Webpage:
The Popol Vuh Museum offers its visitors a unique journey through Guatemalan history, illustrated by one of the best collections of prehispanic and colonial art in the country. The museum is a scientific, private, non-lucrative organization part of Universidad Francisco Marroquín. The museum’s objectives include: conservation, investigation and the popularization of Guatemala’s cultural and archeological heritage.
Lienzo de Quauhquechollan
Webpage:
It is a large Nahua painting on cotton cloth (lienzo) that belongs to the pre-Hispanic tradition of documenting stories of migrations and conquests within a geographic context. Considered the first map of Guatemala, it is one of the few sources from the 16th century that tell of the military campaigns of Jorge de Alvarado in 1527. A digitally restored copy and an animated recreation of the story, exhibited at the UFM campus, are based on the research done by Dutch archaeologist Florine Asselbergs.
ITA Scholarship Program
Webpage:
ITA (in Spanish, an acronym for Impulso al Talento Academico) stands for "promotion of academic talent"; the program grants scholarships for undergraduate degrees at Universidad Francisco Marroquínfor to the poorest, most highly qualified and most motivated students. The scholarship covers full tuition and fees, room and board, medical insurance, and a stipend for public transportation, books and basic personal expenses.
In 1972 the first class of students that entered to Universidad Francisco Marroquín presented a pair of
bronzed shoes to the founding rector, Manuel F. Ayau, as a joke. Since then the shoes are kept at the
rector's office; as a way to remember, for the members of UFM, that they follow Manuel F. Ayau's
steps, and those of the founders of the University, on the road to freedom.
Honoring the champions of freedom
Universidad Francisco Marroquín has awarded honoris causa doctorates to scientists, intellectuals,
businessmen, artists and others who have contributed to the sciences, the arts, the world of business and the cause of freedom
Four Nobel Prize winners have accepted the honorary degree awarded by UFM: Friedrich A. Hayek;
Milton Friedman, James M. Buchanan and Vernon L. Smith. See the entire list, here
(in Spanish).
At the House of Freedom, the library is named alter Ludwig von Mises; there are the Friedrich A. Hayek
Auditorium and the Milton Friedman Auditorium. And the department in charge of the courses of Social
Philosophy and Economic Process is named after Henry Hazlitt. There is a Freedom Plaza and a terrace
named after Rose Friedman.
Mises’ birthday
Ludwig von Mises was born on September 29. 1881; and to remember his birthday, professor Joseph
Keckeissen's students celebrate a Viennese party by the second semester of every year. It includes
theatrical presentations, singing and dancing.
Joseph Keckeissen attended Mises´Semminar in New York City and he began the misian theatrical
tradition, at UFM in the 80s with the Guttemberg Society.
Commencement ceremony
On May and November, UFM celebrates commencement
ceremonies. During these the graduating students receive their
titles and diplomas. On that occasion the Board of Directors
award the honoris causa doctorates.
Honor graduates ceremony
The night before the Commencement ceremony, at UFM, they
celebrate a ceremony and a cocktail party in praise of those
students which graduate with honors, and to celebrate excellence (in Spanish). The honors awarded are
Cum Laude, for those who obtained grades between 85 and 90: Magna Cum Laude, for those who
obtained grades between 91 and 94; and Summa Cum Laude, for those who accumulated an average
between 95 and 100.
Inaugural Lesson
The Inaugural Lesson enjoys a long academic tradition. At Universidad Francisco Marroquín it is a Commencement ceremony
and an opportunity to get together the faculty and the students around the philosophy of freedom presented by a local or visiting professor. The first Inaugural Lesson, at UFM, was presented by vicerector emeritus Rigoberto Juárez-Paz, and it
was about Plato's Academy.
Universidad Francisco Marroquín has no religious affiliation; but it was named after bishop Marroquín because being the first prelate ordained in America, during the colonial times, he had two interests that are shared by UFM members: respect for the individual rights and the value of education. During his tenure as Bishop, Marroquín took care of the right of the indigenous people, and he donated part of his fortune to fund the first university in Central America.
Francisco Marroquín's bust was donated to the University by the trustee Félix Montes in January, 1975.
Its author is the sculptor José Nicolás.
The bust of Friedrich A. Hayek
Friedrich A. Hayek championed the notion of freedom from a libertarian
perspective. He was awarded Nobel Prize in Economy in 1974 and he visited UFM in 1977 yo e awarded as a honoris causa doctor in Social Sciences. At the House of Freedom, the auditorium located at the Academic Building is named after Hayek. His bust is located at the Ludwig von Mises Library and it was donated by Walter S. Morris, of Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1991.
The bust of Ludwig von Mises
Ludwig von Mises
championed the notion of freedom from a libertarian
perspective. He was one of the most distinguished members of the Austrian School of Economics. He visited Guatemala when invited by the Centro de Estudios Económico-Sociales and he was of great inspiration and support for the foundation of Universidad Francisco Marroquín. His bust is at the library that bears his name. It was donated by the class of 1975 from the School of Business.
Atlas Libertas
A bass relief placed on the main façade that welcomes visitors in the building of the UFM Business School. A high-relief sculpture of a human figure supporting the universe, seen from the back from head to hip. The universe is represented by a series of semicircles (abstract planets and gear mechanisms). The sculpture is made of brass plate with a cyan-colored finish resembling oxidized copper.
The Central Garden (renamed Manuel Ayau's Garden)
Universidad Francisco Marroquín's campus is beautifully integrated to the environment in which it was built. It is not a university with a garden, but a university in a garden said professor Donald Livingston when he visited the University. In the Central Garden, which seems a Greek theater, are celebrated the commencement ceremonies; and the bust of Francisco Marroquin presides the garden. In 2011 after the death of Founder Manuel Ayau
Cordón it was renamed to honor him.
The Academic Building’s Garden
The garden, at the Academia Building is surrounded by classrooms and the administration's offices seven stories high. Nevertheless, with an air of a Japanese garden and its pond, it is an oasis of tranquility and of contact with the exuberance of the campus´ flora and fauna.
The fountain at the Ludwig von Mises Library
Between the Central Garden and the Ludwig von Mises Library, which one reaches through a bridge, there is a fountain. Full of fish and surrounded by vegetation, this fountain offers a peaceful environment, ideal for studying, for relaxation and for meditation.
Guatemala City
Guatemala City , is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala and Central America...
, Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
. According to the school's website, "the mission of Universidad Francisco Marroquín is to teach and disseminate the ethical, legal and economic principles of a sociey of free and responsible persons." The website also states that UFM "has the most rigorous entrance requirements in the country."
According to Milton Friedman
Milton Friedman
Milton Friedman was an American economist, statistician, academic, and author who taught at the University of Chicago for more than three decades...
, UFM is "one of the leading universities in Latin America."http://newmedia.ufm.edu/gsm/index.php?title=Interview_with_Rose_and_Milton_Friedman
History
Universidad Francisco Marroquín was founded in 1971, and named after Francisco MarroquínFrancisco Marroquín
Francisco Marroquín was an early bishop of Guatemala and translator of Central American languages.Marroquín was born in Santander, Spain. He studied philosophy and theology at the University of Huesca...
, an early bishop of Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
and translator of Central American languages.
Started by members of Centro de Estudios Economico-Sociales ("Center for Economic and Social Studies") with $40,000 and 125 students, UFM now (as of 2009) boasts next to 2700 undergraduate students, and 1500 graduate students.
The Philosophy Statement of UFM says that universities need to place themselves beyond the conflicts of their time so that science and academic freedom -which humankind will need at all times- may be preserved.
Classes began January 15, 1972 with programs on Law, Economic Sciences, Business Administration and Theology. UFM was meant to be a small college. The School of Business began in 1973; the School of Architecture was founded in 1974; the School of Psychology followed in 1975. The grad school on Social Sciences was established in 1977; and in 1978 a School on Computer Sciences began operations. Later on, in 2001, the school on Computer Sciences became a different university.
The School of Medicine was funded in 1980, and the School of Odontology was established in 1982. The Institute of Political Studies was funded in 1983. A Department on Communication Sciences was established in 1983, but in 2001 it also became a different university.
Degrees
In Guatemala, as in most of Latin America, the educational system concentrates students in their academic or professional discipline from the time of admission. Following secondary school, students are admitted to a particular school or department and, beginning the first year, follow a prescribed program leading to a degree.Undergraduate
Licenciatura degree (Licentiate)In most of Latin America, the degree that is most commonly awarded to undergraduate students is called licenciatura. Traditionally, it includes several more academic credits than a B.A. or B.S.
Disciplines:Architecture; business administration; clinical nutrition; economics; education; international relations; law; political studies; public accounting and auditing; psychology (clinical and industrial).
M.D. / D.D.S.
Students are admitted directly into medical and dental schools as high school graduates. They follow a three-year program of basic science studies, upon completion of which they receive a B.S. degree. This
is followed by four years of medical or three of dental studies, and one year of internship for medical students (none for dental students). Upon completion, graduates receive an M.D. or D.D.S. degree.
Associate degree
Disciplines: Art history; personnel administration.
Profesorado degree
The profesorado is a specialized degree for secondary school teachers. In many cases, it is required for employment. Disciplines: Art history; computer studies; social sciences and language.
Graduate
Master degree
Disciplines:
Business administration (MBA); entrepreneurial economics; international political economy
International political economy
International political economy , also known as global political economy, is an academic discipline within the social sciences that analyzes international relations in combination with political economy. As an interdisciplinary field it draws on many distinct academic schools, most notably ...
; international relations; finance and taxation; management of human resources; social sciences.
The MBA program offers the possibility of online and/or traditional classroom instruction. The entrepreneurial economics and the international political economy programs are available only through online instruction. The former also requires two weeks of traditional classroom instruction at the School of Management in Boston University.
Master degree in the following medical specialties: internal medicine; ophthalmology; pediatrics; radiology.
Doctoral degree
Economics; law; social sciences
Specialization
The Department of Psychology offers specialization programs that work as a platform for a master's degree abroad.
Disciplines: Psychobiology; learning skills.
Academic Disciplines
Areas of instruction include:- architectureArchitectureArchitecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
- business administration
- clinical nutritionNutritionNutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with a healthy diet....
- dentistryDentistryDentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is widely considered...
- economicsEconomicsEconomics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
- educationEducationEducation in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
- international relationsInternational relationsInternational relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
- journalismJournalismJournalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
- lawLawLaw is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
- medicineMedicineMedicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, including internal medicineInternal medicineInternal medicine is the medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adult diseases. Physicians specializing in internal medicine are called internists. They are especially skilled in the management of patients who have undifferentiated or multi-system disease processes...
; ophthalmologyOphthalmologyOphthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems...
; pediatricsPediatricsPediatrics or paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician or paediatrician...
; and radiologyRadiologyRadiology is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat disease visualized within the human body. Radiologists use an array of imaging technologies to diagnose or treat diseases... - political studiesPolitical sciencePolitical Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
- accounting
- psychologyPsychologyPsychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
- social sciencesSocial sciencesSocial science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...
Departments and Projects
Ludwig von Mises LibraryWebpage (in Spanish):
The library at UFM has 100,000 visitors annually and is the most extensive collection of works on liberty in Latin America. There is a collection of the private libraries of prominent intellectuals and collectors:
- José Cecilio del ValleJosé Cecilio del ValleJosé Cecilio Diaz del Valle was a philosopher, politician, lawyer, and journalist and one of the most important figures in Central America during the transition from colonial government to independence, displaying a wide-ranging expertise in public administration management.Valle nicknmed 'The...
, founding father of Central American independence. - Carlos Elmenhorst, collector of Central American books and maps.
- William HuttWilliam Harold HuttWilliam Harold "Bill" Hutt was an English economist who described himself as a classical liberal, although some identify him more closely with the Austrian School.-Early life:...
, English author and economist. - Gordon TullockGordon TullockGordon Tullock is an economist and retired Professor of Law and Economics at the George Mason University School of Law. He is best known for his work on public choice theory, the application of economic thinking to political issues...
, co-founder of the school of Public Choice - Sir Alan Walters, economic advisor to Margaret Thatcher.
At the beginning of the New Millennium the Library started offering access to digital resources. It is subscribed to other services in this area including EBSCOHost databases, Oxford Scholarship Online, xRefer Plus and UpToDate, MDConsult and others.
The library was chosen amongst all the libraries around the World within the 10 libraries to receive the Elsevier donation of 670 titles.
The library site received the Arroba de Oro award in Guatemala for the best educational website.
Henry Hazlitt Center
Webpage (in Spanish): http://chh.ufm.edu/
The purpose of the Henry Hazlitt Center is to coordinate the courses of Economic Process (I,II and III) and Social Philosophy (Hayek, and the Austrian School) that are offered to all the students at UFM in Pregrad level, in all the schools. It also offers seminars and lectures for professors in order to improve their academic and pedagogic skills.
Center for the Study of Capitalism
Webpage: http://capitalismo.ufm.edu/index.php/At_a_Glance
Founded in 2009 with the support of Universidad Francisco Marroquín as a private, secular, coeducational, nonresidential, nonprofit center of study. The Center organizes socratic dialogue sessions with high school students and young entrepreneurs to study philosophical values as guides to excellence in thinking and action. Since its foundation, more than a thousand participants have joined philosophical discussions.
Arboretum
Webpage (in Spanish): http://arboretum.ufm.edu/
Awakening and cultivating the love for nature and conservation of plants and animals in the Campus. The land where the University Francisco Marroquin stands, is a remnant of the Montano Forest, pine and Encino trees, that used to cover Guatemala’s surface. The beautiful gardens that the University has have been carefully designed to integrate native and exotic species that have been admired by students and visitors. Since the beginning preservation of this forest was a priority to the point where the Ludwig von Mises Library architectural design of the buildings was done so the trees were kept as intact as possible. We decided to take our effort much further and this is why the Arboretum was created so now we are preserving and studying many species.
New Media Department
Webpage (in Spanish): http://www.newmedia.ufm.edu/
CREATION, IMPLEMENTATION & EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF DIGITAL RESOURCES
The New Media Department specializes in streaming audio and video conferences in English and Spanish on topics related to classical liberal thought.
Sampler
- MILTON AND ROSE FRIEDMANMilton FriedmanMilton Friedman was an American economist, statistician, academic, and author who taught at the University of Chicago for more than three decades...
’S Free to ChooseFree to ChooseFree to Choose is a book and a ten-part television series broadcast on public television by economists Milton and Rose D...
series (in Spanish) - JAMES BUCHANANJames M. BuchananJames McGill Buchanan, Jr. is an American economist known for his work on public choice theory, for which he received the 1986 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. Buchanan's work initiated research on how politicians' self-interest and non-economic forces affect government economic policy...
conference at UFM for the opening of Latin America’s first Public Choice center (2001) - VERNON SMITHVernon L. SmithVernon Lomax Smith is professor of economics at Chapman University's Argyros School of Business and Economics and School of Law in Orange, California, a research scholar at George Mason University Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science, and a Fellow of the Mercatus Center, all in Arlington,...
honorary doctorate ceremony at UFM (2004) - Interview of MILTON AND ROSE FRIEDMAN for the 2002 Mont Pelerin SocietyMont Pelerin SocietyThe Mont Pelerin Society is an international organization composed of economists , philosophers, historians, intellectuals, business leaders, and others who favour classical liberalism...
General Meeting in London
The New Media digital library includes 1,500 hours of digitized and indexed educational material, and receives over 1,000 visitors daily from around the world.
Museo Popol Vuh
Museo Popol Vuh
The Museo Popol Vuh is home to one of the major collections of Maya civilization art in the world. It is located on the campus of the Universidad Francisco Marroquin in Zone 10, Guatemala City and is known for its extensive collection of pre-Columbian and colonial art of the Mayan culture.The...
Webpage:
The Popol Vuh Museum offers its visitors a unique journey through Guatemalan history, illustrated by one of the best collections of prehispanic and colonial art in the country. The museum is a scientific, private, non-lucrative organization part of Universidad Francisco Marroquín. The museum’s objectives include: conservation, investigation and the popularization of Guatemala’s cultural and archeological heritage.
Lienzo de Quauhquechollan
Webpage:
It is a large Nahua painting on cotton cloth (lienzo) that belongs to the pre-Hispanic tradition of documenting stories of migrations and conquests within a geographic context. Considered the first map of Guatemala, it is one of the few sources from the 16th century that tell of the military campaigns of Jorge de Alvarado in 1527. A digitally restored copy and an animated recreation of the story, exhibited at the UFM campus, are based on the research done by Dutch archaeologist Florine Asselbergs.
ITA Scholarship Program
Webpage:
ITA (in Spanish, an acronym for Impulso al Talento Academico) stands for "promotion of academic talent"; the program grants scholarships for undergraduate degrees at Universidad Francisco Marroquínfor to the poorest, most highly qualified and most motivated students. The scholarship covers full tuition and fees, room and board, medical insurance, and a stipend for public transportation, books and basic personal expenses.
Traditions and Landmarks
Following Manuel AyauManuel Ayau
Dr. Manuel F. Ayau Cordón was the Founder of the Universidad Francisco Marroquín in Guatemala, a private University in Latin America. He was born in Guatemala City, on December 27, 1925. After diverse studies, he obtained a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Louisiana State University in 1950,...
In 1972 the first class of students that entered to Universidad Francisco Marroquín presented a pair of
bronzed shoes to the founding rector, Manuel F. Ayau, as a joke. Since then the shoes are kept at the
rector's office; as a way to remember, for the members of UFM, that they follow Manuel F. Ayau's
steps, and those of the founders of the University, on the road to freedom.
Honoring the champions of freedom
Universidad Francisco Marroquín has awarded honoris causa doctorates to scientists, intellectuals,
businessmen, artists and others who have contributed to the sciences, the arts, the world of business and the cause of freedom
Four Nobel Prize winners have accepted the honorary degree awarded by UFM: Friedrich A. Hayek;
Milton Friedman, James M. Buchanan and Vernon L. Smith. See the entire list, here
At the House of Freedom, the library is named alter Ludwig von Mises; there are the Friedrich A. Hayek
Auditorium and the Milton Friedman Auditorium. And the department in charge of the courses of Social
Philosophy and Economic Process is named after Henry Hazlitt. There is a Freedom Plaza and a terrace
named after Rose Friedman.
Mises’ birthday
Ludwig von Mises was born on September 29. 1881; and to remember his birthday, professor Joseph
Keckeissen's students celebrate a Viennese party by the second semester of every year. It includes
theatrical presentations, singing and dancing.
Joseph Keckeissen attended Mises´Semminar in New York City and he began the misian theatrical
tradition, at UFM in the 80s with the Guttemberg Society.
Commencement ceremony
On May and November, UFM celebrates commencement
ceremonies. During these the graduating students receive their
titles and diplomas. On that occasion the Board of Directors
award the honoris causa doctorates.
Honor graduates ceremony
The night before the Commencement ceremony, at UFM, they
celebrate a ceremony and a cocktail party in praise of those
students which graduate with honors, and to celebrate excellence (in Spanish). The honors awarded are
Cum Laude, for those who obtained grades between 85 and 90: Magna Cum Laude, for those who
obtained grades between 91 and 94; and Summa Cum Laude, for those who accumulated an average
between 95 and 100.
Inaugural Lesson
The Inaugural Lesson enjoys a long academic tradition. At Universidad Francisco Marroquín it is a Commencement ceremony
and an opportunity to get together the faculty and the students around the philosophy of freedom presented by a local or visiting professor. The first Inaugural Lesson, at UFM, was presented by vicerector emeritus Rigoberto Juárez-Paz, and it
was about Plato's Academy.
Landmarks on campus
Francisco Marroquín’s bustUniversidad Francisco Marroquín has no religious affiliation; but it was named after bishop Marroquín because being the first prelate ordained in America, during the colonial times, he had two interests that are shared by UFM members: respect for the individual rights and the value of education. During his tenure as Bishop, Marroquín took care of the right of the indigenous people, and he donated part of his fortune to fund the first university in Central America.
Francisco Marroquín's bust was donated to the University by the trustee Félix Montes in January, 1975.
Its author is the sculptor José Nicolás.
The bust of Friedrich A. Hayek
Friedrich A. Hayek championed the notion of freedom from a libertarian
Libertarian
Libertarian may refer to:*A proponent of libertarianism, a political philosophy that upholds individual liberty, especially freedom of expression and action*A member of a libertarian political party; including:**Libertarian Party...
perspective. He was awarded Nobel Prize in Economy in 1974 and he visited UFM in 1977 yo e awarded as a honoris causa doctor in Social Sciences. At the House of Freedom, the auditorium located at the Academic Building is named after Hayek. His bust is located at the Ludwig von Mises Library and it was donated by Walter S. Morris, of Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1991.
The bust of Ludwig von Mises
Ludwig von Mises
Ludwig von Mises
Ludwig Heinrich Edler von Mises was an Austrian economist, philosopher, and classical liberal who had a significant influence on the modern Libertarian movement and the "Austrian School" of economic thought.-Biography:-Early life:...
championed the notion of freedom from a libertarian
Libertarian
Libertarian may refer to:*A proponent of libertarianism, a political philosophy that upholds individual liberty, especially freedom of expression and action*A member of a libertarian political party; including:**Libertarian Party...
perspective. He was one of the most distinguished members of the Austrian School of Economics. He visited Guatemala when invited by the Centro de Estudios Económico-Sociales and he was of great inspiration and support for the foundation of Universidad Francisco Marroquín. His bust is at the library that bears his name. It was donated by the class of 1975 from the School of Business.
Atlas Libertas
A bass relief placed on the main façade that welcomes visitors in the building of the UFM Business School. A high-relief sculpture of a human figure supporting the universe, seen from the back from head to hip. The universe is represented by a series of semicircles (abstract planets and gear mechanisms). The sculpture is made of brass plate with a cyan-colored finish resembling oxidized copper.
The Central Garden (renamed Manuel Ayau's Garden)
Universidad Francisco Marroquín's campus is beautifully integrated to the environment in which it was built. It is not a university with a garden, but a university in a garden said professor Donald Livingston when he visited the University. In the Central Garden, which seems a Greek theater, are celebrated the commencement ceremonies; and the bust of Francisco Marroquin presides the garden. In 2011 after the death of Founder Manuel Ayau
Manuel Ayau
Dr. Manuel F. Ayau Cordón was the Founder of the Universidad Francisco Marroquín in Guatemala, a private University in Latin America. He was born in Guatemala City, on December 27, 1925. After diverse studies, he obtained a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Louisiana State University in 1950,...
Cordón it was renamed to honor him.
The Academic Building’s Garden
The garden, at the Academia Building is surrounded by classrooms and the administration's offices seven stories high. Nevertheless, with an air of a Japanese garden and its pond, it is an oasis of tranquility and of contact with the exuberance of the campus´ flora and fauna.
The fountain at the Ludwig von Mises Library
Between the Central Garden and the Ludwig von Mises Library, which one reaches through a bridge, there is a fountain. Full of fish and surrounded by vegetation, this fountain offers a peaceful environment, ideal for studying, for relaxation and for meditation.
Journals
- Apuntes de Economía y Política (Public Choice Newsletter)
- Areté (Journal of the Department of Education)
- Arquitemas (Journal of the School of Architecture)
- Eleutheria (Philosophy Department)
- Laissez-Faire (Economics Journal)
- Revista de la Facultad de Derecho (Law Review)
Notable Recipients of Honorary Degrees from UFM
- José María AznarJosé María AznarJosé María Alfredo Aznar López served as the Prime Minister of Spain from 1996 to 2004. He is on the board of directors of News Corporation.-Early life:...
(former Prime MinisterPrime ministerA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
) - James M. BuchananJames M. BuchananJames McGill Buchanan, Jr. is an American economist known for his work on public choice theory, for which he received the 1986 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. Buchanan's work initiated research on how politicians' self-interest and non-economic forces affect government economic policy...
(Nobel Prize in Economics laureate) - José PiñeraJosé PiñeraJosé Piñera is the architect of Chile's private pension system based on personal retirement accounts. Piñera has been called "the world's foremost advocate of privatizing public pension systems" as well as "the Pension Reform Pied Piper"...
(Architect of Chile's private pension system) - Edward H. Crane (Founder and President of the Cato Institute)
- Michael DeBakey (Heart surgeon)
- Michael DeaverMichael DeaverMichael Keith Deaver was a member of President Ronald Reagan's White House staff serving as White House Deputy Chief of Staff under James Baker III and Donald Regan from January 1981 until May 1985.-Early life:...
(Reagan Advisor) - Steve ForbesSteve ForbesMalcolm Stevenson "Steve" Forbes, Jr. is an American editor, publisher, and businessman. He is the editor-in-chief of business magazine Forbes as well as president and chief executive officer of its publisher, Forbes Inc. He was a Republican candidate in the U.S. Presidential primaries in 1996...
(Publisher) - Viktor FranklViktor FranklViktor Emil Frankl M.D., Ph.D. was an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist as well as a Holocaust survivor. Frankl was the founder of logotherapy, which is a form of Existential Analysis, the "Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy"...
(Psychologist) - Milton FriedmanMilton FriedmanMilton Friedman was an American economist, statistician, academic, and author who taught at the University of Chicago for more than three decades...
(Nobel Prize in Economics laureate) - Friedrich HayekFriedrich HayekFriedrich August Hayek CH , born in Austria-Hungary as Friedrich August von Hayek, was an economist and philosopher best known for his defense of classical liberalism and free-market capitalism against socialist and collectivist thought...
(Nobel Prize in Economics laureate) - Jeane KirkpatrickJeane KirkpatrickJeane Jordan Kirkpatrick was an American ambassador and an ardent anticommunist. After serving as Ronald Reagan's foreign policy adviser in his 1980 campaign and later in his Cabinet, the longtime Democrat-turned-Republican was nominated as the U.S...
(Ambassador) - Václav KlausVáclav KlausVáclav Klaus is the second President of the Czech Republic and a former Prime Minister .An economist, he is co-founder of the Civic Democratic Party, the Czech Republic's largest center-right political party. Klaus is a eurosceptic, but he reluctantly endorsed the Lisbon treaty as president of...
(former Prime MinisterPrime ministerA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of the Czech RepublicCzech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
) - Mario Vargas LlosaMario Vargas LlosaJorge Mario Pedro Vargas Llosa, 1st Marquis of Vargas Llosa is a Peruvian-Spanish writer, politician, journalist, essayist, and Nobel Prize laureate. Vargas Llosa is one of Latin America's most significant novelists and essayists, and one of the leading authors of his generation...
(Novelist, Journalist) - Carlos Alberto MontanerCarlos Alberto MontanerCarlos Alberto Montaner is an exiled Cuban author and journalist known for his more than 25 books and thousand of articles, including several novels, the last of which is La mujer del coronel, The colonel's wife. Some of his books are devoted to explain the true nature of the Cuban dictatorship,...
(Novelist) - William Middendorf II (Ambassador)
- Robert SiricoRobert SiricoRobert A. Sirico is an American Roman Catholic priest and the founder of the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty. He is a well-known political and cultural commentator.-Biography:...
(Clergyman, founder of the Acton Institute) - John StosselJohn StosselJohn F. Stossel is an American consumer reporter, investigative journalist, author and libertarian columnist. In October 2009 Stossel left his long time home on ABC News to join the Fox Business Channel and Fox News Channel, both owned and operated by News Corp...
(Award-winning television news host, writer, and author.) - Vernon L. SmithVernon L. SmithVernon Lomax Smith is professor of economics at Chapman University's Argyros School of Business and Economics and School of Law in Orange, California, a research scholar at George Mason University Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science, and a Fellow of the Mercatus Center, all in Arlington,...
(Nobel Prize in Economics laureate) - Peter ThielPeter ThielPeter Andreas Thiel is an American business magnate, venture capitalist, and hedge fund manager. With Elon Musk and Max Levchin, Thiel co-founded PayPal and was its CEO...
(Entrepreneur founder of Pay Pal) - John A. Allison IVJohn A. Allison IVJohn Allison was born on August 14, 1948, in Charlotte, North Carolina. He began his career with BB&T in 1971 following his graduation from the University of North Carolina with a degree in business administration...
(Former CEO of BB&T)
External links
- Universidad Francisco Marroquín - Francisco Marroquin University
- UFM - Biblioteca Ludwig von Mises
- Center for the Study of Capitalism - Francisco Marroquin University
- UFM - New Media Department
- ATLAS LIBERTAS - UFM Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged"
- article about the Francisco Marroquin University in French
- Viennese Party at The Francisco Marroquin University, New Media
- UFM Arboretum
- Libertate Viam Facere. Objectivism and Ayn Rand
- CADEP (Center for the Analysis of Public Choice Decisions)
- Henry Hazlitt Center
- Official Facebook Page