Playa Ancha University

The Universidad de Playa Ancha de Ciencias de la Educación, also known as Universidad de Playa Ancha and UPLA, is a state and public university of Chile, located in the Valparaíso Region. It is one of the seventeen universities of the Consortium of State Universities of Chile, belonging to the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities. It is also a member of the Group of Regional Universities of Chile. Its headquarters are located at Avenida Playa Ancha 850 in the city of Valparaíso.

Its origin dates back to the Pedagogical Institute of the University of Chile in Valparaíso, which sought the training of teachers and the study of Spanish and some foreign languages.

During the Military Dictatorship, the Pedagogical Institute of Valparaíso was dissolved, giving rise to the Higher Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Valparaíso and later to the Playa Ancha University of Educational Sciences.

It is currently accredited by the National Accreditation Commission (CNA-Chile) for a period of 5 years (with a maximum of 7), from May 2022 to May 2027.It appears in position 23 within the Chilean universities according to the SCImago Institutions Rankings (SIR) 2022 webometric classification.

History

The creation of the Pedagogical Institute (1948-1973) of Valparaíso.

The Valparaíso Pedagogical Institute was founded in 1948, at the initiative of the lawyer and professor at the then Valparaíso Law School of the University of Chile, Oscar Guzmán Escobar, on a private basis and in imitation of the Santiago Pedagogical Institute, with the purpose of promoting the study of Spanish and some foreign languages. It was initially located on Colón Street in Valparaíso, in the former headquarters of the current School of Law of the University of Valparaíso, currently the School of Social Work of the same University. He was supported in his initiative by Valparaíso professors Emilio Muñoz Mena, Juan Montedónico Napoli and Pedro Contreras Valderrama, among other people.

In 1950, due to the quality of its activity, and after inspection by the members of the Faculty of Philosophy and Education of the University of Chile, it received by Supreme Decree the status of State cooperator in education, its exams being valid and rendered before the official commissions designated by the House of Bello.

The first courses taught by the then Institute were Pedagogies in Spanish, French and English, while in 1951 a Philosophy course was created and a year later the first Journalism School in the country and a Women's Normal School. The University of Chile initially contributed with very prominent professors from Santiago, such as Héctor Castillo, Ricardo Benavides, Professor Cedomil Goic, among others, along with prominent professors from the region such as Juan Montedónico, Carlos Pantoja Gómez and Félix Morales Pettorino, who formed a team that was used, jointly, with teachers from the Liceo Eduardo de la Barra in Valparaíso and with people who had begun their professional training in the Pedagogical School, emerging as assistant teachers.

Due to the request of its director and the dean of the Faculty of Philosophy and Education of the University of Chile, Mr. Eugenio Pererira Salas, Decree No. 9,118, of October 13, 1954, is issued, on the basis of which The Pedagogical Institute of the University of Chile in Valparaíso is created, which will begin to function as such the following year. This document is signed by the President of the Republic, Mr. Carlos Ibáñez del Campo, and his Minister of Education, Mr. Tobías Barros Ortiz.

The military dictatorship (1973-1990)

On September 11, 1973, a coup d'état led by General Augusto Pinochet took place, to which, according to various accounts, the University did not offer resistance, being invaded via military assault around 12:15 by of the Infantry Regiment No. 2 'Maipo', despite the fact that at that time there were already few students at the University (alerted by the situation in the country). The intervention led to mass arrests of students, academics and officials. In 1981 — by decision of the military dictatorship — the Valparaíso Headquarters of the University of Chile was separated from its parent company (located in the city of Santiago de Chile), creating the University of Valparaíso first. Two months later, in a second split, the Faculty of Education and Letters was transformed into the Professional Institute of the Higher Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Valparaíso. This transition meant the significant loss of its infrastructure and the allocation of a reduced state contribution (0.6% of the total direct fiscal contribution), in addition to other problems that originate from the policies and definitions that the authoritarian regime implemented and that affected academics, officials and students.

Law 18,434 of September 4, 1985, creates the University of Playa Ancha, successor to the Higher Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Valparaíso and the University of Chile.

Article 1.- The Playa Ancha University of Educational Sciences, a State Higher Education Institution, is created as an autonomous body, with its own legal personality and assets. His address will be the city of Valparaíso.

The UPLA today (1990-present)

The return to democracy in 1990 brought with it the election of the first rector democratically elected by direct vote of the academics, Professor Pedro Norman Cortés Larrieu being elected on that occasion. In 1991, the functions of its San Felipe headquarters began in 1991. On the other hand, there was an important development of the infrastructure: the Faculty of Arts was built in 1995, the land adjacent to the headquarters was acquired, The FEUPLA was put into operation with a Confech vote and the 'Colmenita' nursery school was built, with the purpose of providing a nursery for university parents or University officials.

With the advent of the year 2000, changes continue to occur. The new Natural and Exact Sciences building and the Faculty of Social Sciences are inaugurated, which teaches the courses of Sociology (2002), Psychology (2013), Journalism and Library Science. The performing arts room is created (which will house the Theater major), being one of the best equipped in the entire region and moving the casino to a new location next to the Faculty of Arts. In 2008, the new University library was inaugurated and with it the SIBUPLA debuted, giving shape to one of the most equipped, spacious and modern libraries in the region.

Around 2013, the Faculty of Health and Engineering was created, acquiring the Independencia Headquarters. In 2012, two multipurpose domes were acquired, one located in the Patio de los Vientos, next to the Faculty of Arts, and the other on the San Felipe Campus. In 2014 the Nursing laboratories were created, in 2012 the Center for Advanced Studies (CEA) and the Vice-Rector's Office for Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies were installed in Viña del Mar.

In October 2014, with 71.5% of votes in a three-state plebiscite, the elimination of the Board of Directors and the creation of a University Senate was approved, which represents the three levels, students, officials and academics..

Symbols

Hymn

In the history of the University there have been 2 anthems, one valid from the time of the Pedagogical Institute until the 80s and another created in the mid-80s and valid until today.^{[citation required]}

Hymn of the Pedagogical of Valparaíso (lyrics by Félix M. Pettorino).

Anthem of the University of Playa Ancha (1985-present)

Shield

The shield of the University of Playa Ancha is a lighthouse illuminating both sectors with a lone star heading the lighthouse (in reference to being at night). Its inspiration dates back to the Punta Ángeles Lighthouse, created in 1837 under the presidency of José Joaquín Prieto. This is located adjacent to the University, as a symbol of being one of the pioneering study houses in pedagogy at the national level, symbolized in the main lighthouse power of South America and in the "lighthouse effect" which symbolized having a university in Cerro Playa Ancha and not in the center of Valparaíso as other houses of study traditionally did.

Organization

The University of Playa Ancha has a headquarters in San Felipe which has been operating since 1991, in addition to its headquarters and university neighborhood located in Valparaíso.

Starting in 2007, construction began on the new university library located near the most important facilities of the institution. The project included an ambitious and modern service for the more than ten thousand students, who will be able to access one of the most modern and complete libraries in the region.

Administration

During its existence, the University of Playa Ancha has belonged to the University of Chile, depending directly on the Faculty of Humanities and Letters of Santiago; and, after the University Reform of 1968, to the Valparaíso Headquarters of the Casa de Bello, both as an Area-Faculty of Humanities, at first, and as a Faculty of Education and Letters, later. This determined that his superior authorities were called Director, and later, Dean.

As a consequence of the University Reform of 1981, it became an independent entity, either as the Higher Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Valparaíso, or as the University of Playa Ancha. Here, his superior authority is called Rector.

Directors, Pedagogical Institute of Valparaíso-University of Chile

• Oscar Guzmán Escobar (1948-1955)[Private]
• Milton Rossel Acuña (1955-1957)
• Juan Uribe Echevarría (1957-1961)
• Rodolfo Iturriaga Jamett (1961-1965)
• Carlos Pantoja Gómez (1965-1969)

Deans, Faculty of Humanities/Education and Letters. Valparaíso-University of Chile Headquarters

• Raúl Páez Boggioni (1969-1972)
• Marcelo Blanc Masías (1972-1973)
• Víctor Leighton González (1973-1975)
• Olga Arellano Salgado (1976-1981)

Rectors, Higher Academy of Pedagogical Sciences/University of Playa Ancha

• Olga Arellano Salgado (1981-1987)
• Mariana Martelli Ukrow (1987-1990)
• Norman Cortés Larreau (1990-1998)
• Oscar Quiroz Mejías (1998-2006)
• Patricio Sanhueza Vivanco (2006-2022)
• Carlos González Morales (2022-current date)

Student Federation

The Federation of Students of the University of Playa Ancha (also known by its acronym FEUPLA) is the official representative body of the students of the university and is attached to the Confederation of Students of Chile (CONFECH). The institution is headed by a board of directors of 5 members, who represent the more than 6,000 students of the university. Representatives are elected for a period of 1 year through direct election. The last FEUPLA election was held in October 2019 and has been characterized in recent years by its intermittency.

Teaching

The University of Playa Ancha has 36 undergraduate courses in Valparaíso (of which 3 operate on a dual day and evening basis) and 6 professional courses in San Felipe. Additionally, it has 14 technical careers (7 in Valparaíso and 7 in San Felipe).^{[citation required]}

Technical careers

Undergraduate

Postgraduate

Postgraduate teaching activities constitute an increasingly important area in the development of the University of Playa Ancha, which has led to important changes in its organization. In particular, the Graduate School assumes responsibility for carrying out the general coordination of the management of master's, doctoral programs and courses not leading to degrees, diplomas and postgraduate degrees.

The University has 2 doctorates, 12 master's degrees and 7 diplomas and 1 postgraduate degree available.^[update]

Infrastructure

• Valparaíso Campus: Valparaiso Infrastructure amounts to 4,707,838 m2 resulting in 715 square meters per student in Valparaiso.
• San Felipe Campus.