Technological Institute of Costa Rica

The Tecnológico de Costa Rica (TEC) is a public university in Costa Rica belonging to the state system. It was founded on June 10, 1971, it is modeled after an institute of technology and focuses on the teaching and research of engineering and technology.

It began under the official name of Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica (ITCR). Starting in 2010, at the communication level, a change was made to the image and it was renamed Tecnológico de Costa Rica (TEC), as a promotional name.

History

The need for a technological institute focused on engineering was raised during the government of José Joaquín Trejos Fernández (1966-1970), due to the competitive requirements of the country. It was founded on June 10, 1971, through Law No. 4777 under the administration of President José Figueres Ferrer.

The first rector was Vidal Quirós Berrocal, a business administrator trained at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Studies in Mexico, who assumed the position at the age of thirty-three.

In 1983, by popular election, Roberto Villalobos Ardón acquired the position of rector, during this period the TEC began its participation in the National Sports Games of Costa Rica. The first degree assigned to the Business Administration Degree was also created. The Metallurgy Engineering Degree was created and the first master's program, the Master's in Computing, was opened.

In 1987, the Arturo Jofré Vartanyan master's degree was sworn in as Rector of the TEC. This Chilean professor was called to Tecnológico to create a business administration school. In that year, 200 students graduated and by 1994 there were already 400 graduates.

During this administration the first research centers were created: in 1988 the Computing Research Center (CIC) and the Housing and Construction Research Center (CIVCO).

As a result of the scarcity of financial resources, there was a need to generate alternative sources of financing, which is how the Technology Foundation (Fundatec) was created in 1987. This project allowed for additional resources and a better link with the productive sector.. With the funds generated, works such as the Microcomputer Laboratory (LAIMI) were achieved.

During this stage, the land on which the Technology Transfer Center (CETT) in Zapote was built was also acquired. An agreement was also reached with the Ministry of Public Education to install the first Scientific College.

Engineer Alejandro Cruz Molina arrived at the rectory in 1995. His thoughts focused on an institution created to improve the socioeconomic condition of the province of Cartago and also to support the business and technology sector of Costa Rica.

The active participation of the TEC to attract foreign private investment was evident, and the establishment of the Intel company.

The majors that were most impacted were Electronic Engineering, Computer Engineering and the Master's Degree in Modern Manufacturing Systems.

In this management, the accreditation process of the first two TEC courses at an international level was concluded: Construction Engineering and Industrial Maintenance Engineering before the Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) in 2001. The National System of the Accreditation of Higher Education (SINAES).

In 2003, the master's degree Eugenio Trejos Benavides was elected as Rector of the TEC. During his administration, the Restricted Admission Program was created: an option for students with limited economic resources, from public schools, from districts with a low social development index and who have been eligible in the TEC admission test..

Law 7600 'Equal opportunities for people with disabilities' was complied with. This is why the National Rehabilitation Council mentions TEC as the Costa Rican university with the greatest accessibility for people with disabilities.^{[citation required]}

As part of the academic options, the Environmental Engineering career was implemented, created in the administration of former rector Alejandro Cruz. Careers in Information Technology Administration, Mechatronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, Tourism Management and Sustainable Rural Tourism Management were also opened.

In addition, postgraduate programs were launched, including the Doctorate in Natural Sciences for Development, the Doctorate in Educational Intervention and the Doctorate in Business Management, in conjunction with the University of Valencia in Spain.

This track record of success is also evident in the support for micro, small and medium-sized businesses. There are more than 100 ^{[citation required]}, created by promoting the entrepreneurial spirit and business incubation. In addition, the Government took the entrepreneurial policies of the TEC, strengthened the Special Economic Zone (ZEE) of the Huetar Norte Region and the creation of the SEZ in Cartago and the southern part of the country. In San Carlos, the Center for Technology Transfer and Continuing Education (CTEC) was created.

The forestry engineer Julio Calvo Alvarado was elected as Rector on June 2, 2011. During his term, the task of expanding the academic offering of the TEC and improving its presence in headquarters and academic centers continues, thus opening the Electronics Engineering and Industrial Production Engineering careers, at the San Carlos Regional Headquarters; and Computer Engineering, at the Alajuela Academic Center and the San José Academic Center.

The postgraduate degrees of Master in Electronics, Master in Highway Engineering, Master in Supply Chain, Master in Medical Devices, Master in Business Management, Doctorate in Business Management and Academic Doctorate in Engineering are also open.

Likewise, in 2014 registration opens at the new Limón Academic Center, with the courses in Computer Engineering, Industrial Production Engineering and Business Administration. The facilities would begin construction in 2016.

In September 2012, during the administration of Laura Chinchilla Miranda, the decree granting the TEC as a “Meritorious Institution of Costa Rican education, culture, science and technology” was signed. Also, the Center was inaugurated. of Technology Transfer and Continuing Education located at the Regional Headquarters of San Carlos.

Other aspects that frame Calvo's management is the Institutional Improvement Project (PMI), which has made it possible to invest $50 million of a Government loan with the World Bank for the execution of various initiatives in the institution, including the construction of the Student Residence buildings, new library, new dining room, Industrial Design core, Information Technology core, Environmental-Chemistry core, Occupational Safety core and new buildings for teaching and research in San Carlos and San José.

In 2019, Luis Paulino Méndez Badilla was elected rector.

In 2023, the TEC elects María Estrada Sánchez as rector, being the first woman to lead the institution after 52 years of its foundation.

Rectors

• Vidal Quirós Berrocal, 1972-1981
• Roberto Villalobos Ardón, 1982-1987
• Arturo Jofré Vartanían, 1987-1995
• Alejandro Cruz Molina, 1995-2003
• Eugenio Trejos Benavides, 2003-2011
• Julio Calvo Alvarado, 2011-2019
• Luis Paulino Méndez Badilla, 2019-2023
• María Estrada Sánchez, 2023-2027

Campus and academic centers

The TEC has three technological campuses and two academic centers.

Central Technological Campus Cartago

Its Central Campus is located on the outskirts of the city of Cartago, in the Dulce Nombre district.

San Carlos Local Technological Campus

Located in Santa Clara de San Carlos, it was created in the 1975s at the request of the Minister of Education; Fernando Volio, so that the ITCR took over the San Carlos Agricultural Technical School. This is how the San Carlos Local Technological Campus was born in 1975 and the Agronomy Course in 1976. The latter was enabled and equipped through financing from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI).

Currently on this Campus the courses in Agronomy Engineering, Computer Engineering, Business Administration, Industrial Production Engineering and Sustainable Rural Tourism Management are taught. In 2013, the Electronics Engineering degree program was opened, which is important to collaborate with the technological development of the Region.

Another important fact of the San Carlos Local Technological Campus is the student movement, which is represented through the Student Associations, which are the Association of Agronomy Students (AEA), the Association of Computer Engineering Students (ASEICO), the Association of Business Administration Students (ASOAE), the Association of Industrial Production Engineering Students (ASEPI) and the San Carlos Electronic Student Association (ADESC).

In Cartago, the Agricultural Engineering degree was created, with the aim of transferring it to San Carlos; in the near future. This task was not completed.

The Center for Technology Transfer and Continuing Education is located at this headquarters.

San José Local Technological Campus

Located in Barrio Amón, previously known as the San José Academic Center.

Alajuela Academic Center

The Tec makes use of the facilities of the Interuniversity Headquarters of Alajuela (SIUA) directed by CONARE where the academic center is currently located. There, the Bachelor's Degree in Computer Engineering and Bachelor's Degree in Electronic Engineering are taught, as well as classes for some postgraduate courses and TEC programs.

The Headquarters has student representation, a library, and an administrative sector, although it lacks recreational/sports areas, residences, sufficient space in classrooms and a dining room.

Limón Academic Center

It is located in the Roosevelt neighborhood in the Limón district. Since 2014, enrollment has been open for Business Administration, Computer Engineering, and Industrial Production Engineering careers. Currently, the Limón Academic Center is the only university center in the province to have SINAES accreditation in the Business Administration degree.

Technology Transfer Center

The Technology Transfer Center is located in Zapote.

Organization

The greatest authority of the Tecnológico is the Representative Institutional Assembly, which is made up of the representation of teachers, administrators and students, and is divided into the Plebiscitary Institutional Assembly and the Representative Institutional Assembly, and is in charge of general policies and see topics such as the reforms to the Organic Statute.

It is followed by the Institutional Council, the highest management body of the Tecnológico de Costa Rica. In the institutional hierarchy, it is located immediately below the Institutional Assembly. It also serves as a space for discussion of issues of institutional significance, since the different sectors of the TEC are represented there. This is formed as follows:

• The Rector, who chairs him.
• 5 teaching representatives, of which one represents the local technological campuses and academic centres.
• 3 student representatives.
• 2 administrative representatives.
• A representative of the graduates.

There are several departments that respond directly to the Rector's Office, such as the Communication and Marketing Office, the Institutional Planning Office, Legal Counsel, the Engineering Office and the Department of Information and Communications Technology Administration (Datic).

In the TEC organizational chart, after the rectorship are the Vice-rectorships, which are four: Teaching, Research and Extension, Administration and Student Life, and Academic Services.

Then there are the Schools, each with its Management and School Council.

Federation of Students of the Tecnológico de Costa Rica (FEITEC)

Corresponds to the highest student representative body of the Tecnológico de Costa Rica. It is made up of the different associations of career students present in the different headquarters of the Tecnológico. Its primary objective is to ensure the improvement of the academic and social conditions of its members, playing a transcendental role in university and national dynamics as a critical actor of economic, political and social realities.

She is recognized for her transcendental role in the democratization of the Tecnológico de Costa Rica, during the years 1979-1982 she actively protested for the improvement of student conditions and for greater participation of the student body in the co-government of the institute. These struggles resulted in a series of reforms for the benefit of the student body, among the most important the approval of a new organic statute of the TEC, which granted 25% student representation in all decision-making spaces.

Image of the TEC

During the administration of Rector Alejandro Cruz, a study of several months was developed to make a change in the graphic image and approve a new isotype that met certain minimum characteristics for its efficient use and at the same time synthesized the concept of technology in a analogical sense.^{[citation required]}

From this concept, a simple transformation from a line to a right triangle was designed, which hints at the concepts of technology and transformation.

The colors green and yellow were changed to blue, because it has a more direct relationship with the areas of science and technology.

In the first years, the institutional image was represented by the colors yellow and green. The logo design was proposed by the Colombian-Costa Rican artist Hortensia Fernández Caballero.

Sports

The TEC has maintained worthy sports representations in multiple disciplines such as basketball, baseball, volleyball, swimming, chess, athletics, soccer and cycling where it currently has a team that participates in national competitions, obtaining excellent positions at the national level. Excellent representation in world university tournaments organized by FISU. Although support is limited, we always try to promote sports activity in internal tournaments, in JUNCOS at the national level and FISU university tournaments.

Since 1977 the A.D. Instituto Tecnológico stands out for Third Division amateur football. But it was not until 1981 that he participated in the Second Higher Division of ACOFA (ANAFA); achieving the national title and ascending together with Deportivo Cariari of Plaza González Víquez, Club Deportivo Diablos Rojos of San Pablo and Muelle Grande of San Carlos.

The TEC has sports representations in the following disciplines:

• Football
• Balonmano
• Mountain Cycling
• Football Room - Women and Male
• Swimming
• You have Bureau
• Athletics - Female and Male
• Basketball - Women and Male
• Korfbal
• Volleyball - Female and Male

• Football - Women and Male
• Chess

Culture

El Tecnológico has various courses and cultural and artistic groups that serve to improve the personal and professional development of its students.

It also has organized groups that represent the institution and culture of Costa Rica, both nationally and internationally. Among these groups are:

• Arncora TEC
• Earth and Harvest Folk Company
• Dance TEC
• Corporate Expression Experimental Group
• JamTEC
• Costa Rican Technological Guitar Orchestra
• RitmoTEC
• Theater TEC

Academic offering