Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de Mexico

The Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico is a private university located in Mexico City. Originally called Instituto Tecnológico de Mexico, it was founded in 1946 by the Asociación Mexicana de Cultura (Association of Mexican Culture), led by a group of wealthy individuals presided over by Raúl Baillères. Considered one of the top business schools in Mexico and one of the nation's preeminent institutions of higher learning, the institute was established with the goal of educating professionals who would be able to facilitate economic change. In 1947 the undergraduate school of business was founded. With the opening of the accounting school the institute grew from fifty-two students to five hundred students in 1951.

In 1963 the president of the Republic, Adolfo López Mateos, recognized the institute as autonomous. However, it was not until 1985 that the Secretaría de Educación Pública (Secretariat of Public Education) recognized the institute's autonomy and allowed the institution to adopt its current name. In the 1970s various degrees were added, such as applied mathematics, social sciences, administration, and master's in administration. In the 1980s the law school was opened, and degrees were established in computer science, political science, international relations, and industrial engineering, as well as joint degrees. In 1991 the Centro de Investigación y Estudios de Posgrado (Center for Investigation and Postgraduate Studies) was founded.

See alsoLópez Mateos, Adolfo; Universities: The Modern Era.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de Mexico. Available from http://www.itam.mx.

                          Claudia Carballal Benaglio