Apuntes sobre difusión cultural en la Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana

Abstract

Dissemination is one of the raisons d’être of the Universidad Autonónoma Metropolitana according to its Charter, but in practice, this is the least recognized of its functions. Now, after three decades of existence, we have the occasion to renew and rethink this inescapable social commitment. The position of the public university today is one of crisis. It must deal with the prevalent notion of the public university held by the government, as it begins to abandon some of the features which at one time were considered defining factors of universities. Today we live in an environment radically different from that of 1974 when the UAM was conceived. It is precisely the role of preserving and disseminating culture that takes on increased importance in such times as these when the view of the public university is in crisis. The public university must find its unique, irreplaceable identity and build up the specific value which sets it apart from other institutions of higher education. University extension can restore the focus on the significance of our role.