The University of Sonora (Universidad de Sonora, abbreviated as Unison) is a public university in the northwestern state of Sonora, Mexico that has a strong research program. The university was founded in 1942 and is considered the main cultural and educational driver in the state. The university motto is "El saber de mis hijos hará mi grandeza" ("The knowledge of my children will be my greatness"). It is the largest university of Sonora with about 30,000 students (about 28,000 for undergraduate studies and 2,000 for postgraduate studies) distributed in five campuses.

University of Sonora
Motto
El saber de mis hijos hará mi grandeza
Motto in English
The knowledge of my children will be my greatness
TypePublic
EstablishedOctober 12, 1942; 82 years ago (October 12, 1942)
RectorMaría Rita Plancarte Martínez
Academic staff
2481
Students38148
Location,
Mexico

29°04′59″N 110°57′43″W / 29.083°N 110.962°W / 29.083; -110.962
Colors   Blue & yellow
MascotOwl
Websitewww.unison.mx

Dr. Enrique Velázquez Contreras started his tenure as the University Rector in June 2017 for a period of four years (renewable). Under his leadership the university has prepared its Strategic Initiative putting special emphasis on the Internationalization of its academic and research programs.

Overview

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According to the Mexican National Center for Evaluation for Higher Education (CENEVAL), Sonora has recently ranked fifth in the Mexican university ranking survey.[citation needed] It has six post-graduate subjects accredited in the level of academic excellence for the "Mexican Research Council in Science and Technology" (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología de México, CONACYT). It is currently, leader of the National Association of Mexican Higher Education Institutions (ANUIES) in northwestern Mexico[citation needed].

Academics

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The University of Sonora has research departments and teaching schools in most academic disciplines. The university provides educational programs in the following colleges:

Postgraduate programs

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At the postgraduate level, Unison tends to be biased towards scientific subjects, but it also has a number of strong humanities and social science schools. There are 6 subjects accredited in the level of academic excellence for CONACYT.

Admission

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Admissions processes at Sonora are based on qualifications relevant to their chosen undergraduate course, admission tests given by the university, and, in some subjects, interviews between applicants and faculty members.[citation needed]

Postgraduate admission is first decided by the department or research center relating to the applicant's subject. In recent years, UNISON has made greater efforts to attract overseas students.[citation needed]

Research institutes

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  • Physics Department (DFUS)
  • Research Centre of Physics (CIFUS)
  • DICTUS Research Centre
  • DIPA Research Centre

Campuses

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There are five campuses. Its main campus is located in the capital of the state of Sonora, Hermosillo.

Mobility of students

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UNISON intends to increase the access and mobility of its students within the Americas and the European Union area of higher education, contributing to the improvement of their professional skills and their access to better working opportunities in the northwestern region of the country.

Other items of interest

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The university is part of the UN Regional Coordination of Activities in Basic Space Science for America, an aerospace consortium based in Vienna, Austria, and co-sponsored by the European Space Agency.

Starting in the 2011 season, the university will have a team named "Búhos" (Owls) playing in one league of College Football in Mexico, the CONADEIP premier league.

Rectors

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Period Rector's name
1942–1943 Prof. Aureliano Esquivel Casas
1944–1946 Ing. Francisco Antonio Astiazarán
1946–1953 Prof. Manuel Quiróz Martínez
1953–1956 Ing. Norberto Aguirre Palancares
1956–1961 Lic. Luis Encinas Johnson
1961–1967 Dr. Moisés Canale Rodríguez
1967–1968 Lic. Roberto Reynoso Dávila
1968–1972 Dr. Federico Sotelo Ortiz
1973–1982 Lic. Alfonso Castellanos Idiáquez
1982–1987 Ing. Manuel Rivera Zamudio
1987–1989 Ing. Manuel Balcázar Meza
1989–1993 Mat. Marco Antonio Valencia Arvizu
1993–2001 M.C. Jorge Luis Ibarra Mendívil
2001–2009 Dr. Pedro Ortega Romero
2009–2017 Dr. Heriberto Grijalva Monteverde
2017–2021 Dr. Enrique Fernando Velázquez Contreras
2021–present Dr. María Rita Plancarte Martínez

Collaborations with other universities

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See also

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  • XHUS-TDT ("Televisión Universitaria", Unison's television station)

References

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