The Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM) presented its historical and intellectual legacy at the 50th Buenos Aires International Book Fair on Apr. 25, showcasing the book “Historia de la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos” as part of its 475th anniversary celebrations.
This event is significant because it reflects the university’s ongoing influence in academic and cultural spheres in Latin America. The presentation was led by Dr. Jeri Gloria Ramón Ruffner de Vega, rector of UNMSM, who addressed an international audience about the university’s importance as a center for thought, culture, and academic training. She said that San Marcos has played a vital role in Peru’s historical development since the founding of the republic.
During her remarks, Ramón Ruffner de Vega said that “San Marcos jamás se detuvo,” emphasizing how the institution has evolved from its origins at Convento de Santo Domingo to its current status as a modern and internationalized university. She also discussed recent initiatives under her leadership to strengthen public higher education by creating new strategic programs such as Water Engineering Technologies, Transport Systems Engineering, Maritime Administration, Logistics Engineering, and Nuclear Engineering—fields aimed at addressing national development challenges.
Ramón Ruffner de Vega called on younger generations to defend critical thinking and knowledge amid advances in artificial intelligence: “el futuro debe construirse con tecnología, pero también con reflexión y humanidad.” She also highlighted women’s transformative role in academia and public administration and urged for greater integration across Latin America through education.
Other participants included Juan Antonio Bazán Chávez from Fondo Editorial San Marcos; Juan Yangali from Biblioteca Central; and jurist Raúl Chanamé Orbe. They introduced works highlighting UNMSM’s contributions to research and academic production. According to the official website, UNMSM promotes cultural well-being through responsible initiatives supporting equity, inclusion, and sustainable development; it operates multiple campuses including provincial extensions; leads public universities in rankings from QS, Scimago, and Webometrics; functions autonomously under Peru’s constitution; offers over eighty undergraduate programs plus postgraduate options; advances knowledge dissemination with a focus on national sustainable development; holds top global rankings among public universities; provides diverse programs while promoting research outreach.
Looking ahead to its 500th anniversary milestone, UNMSM aims to continue focusing on innovation, internationalization, research excellence—and maintain its position as one of Latin America’s leading educational institutions.
