{"id":469439,"date":"2025-05-28T23:10:52","date_gmt":"2025-05-29T03:10:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.net\/en\/uncategorized\/history-of-the-autonomous-university-of-santo-domingo-uasd-the-first-university-of-the-americas\/"},"modified":"2025-05-28T23:46:40","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T03:46:40","slug":"history-of-the-autonomous-university-of-santo-domingo-uasd-the-first-university-of-the-americas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/universities\/history-of-the-autonomous-university-of-santo-domingo-uasd-the-first-university-of-the-americas\/","title":{"rendered":"History of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD): The First University of the Americas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD)<\/strong> is the first state university of the Dominican Republic<\/a><\/strong> and considered by many as the first university in the American continent<\/strong>, founded on October 28, 1538<\/strong> through the papal bull In Apostolatus Culmine<\/em> of Pope Paul III. Its main headquarters is located in the University City<\/strong> of Santo Domingo<\/a> and has a network of campuses, centers and sub-centers throughout the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Origin of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UASD has its roots in the Studium Generale of the Dominican Convent<\/strong>, founded in 1518<\/strong>. In 1538, Pope Paul III elevated it to a university, granting it the same privileges as the University of Alcal\u00e1 de Henares, under the name Universidad Santo Tom\u00e1s de Aquino<\/strong>. It was initially organized into four faculties: Theology, Law, Medicine and Arts<\/strong>, under the medieval European model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the university did not receive official recognition from the Kingdom of Spain until 1558<\/strong>, which has generated controversies about its legitimacy as the first American university compared to institutions such as the University of San Marcos in Peru, founded in 1551 by royal decree and without interruptions in its operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Closures, Reappearances, and Controversies of the UASD<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

During the Haitian occupation (1822), the Universidad Santo Tom\u00e1s de Aquino was closed, and its archives were lost or dispersed. In 1866, Jos\u00e9 Gabriel Garc\u00eda<\/strong> and Emiliano Tejera<\/strong> founded the Instituto Profesional<\/strong>, which functioned as the educational successor to the former university. In 1914, President Ram\u00f3n B\u00e1ez<\/strong> converted the Institute into the Universidad de Santo Domingo<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the university was again interrupted by the American military occupation (1916-1924). During the dictatorship of Rafael Le\u00f3nidas Trujillo<\/strong>, it was used as a tool of political control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

University autonomy and modern rebirth<\/h3>\n\n\nIn 1961<\/strong>, after the execution of Trujillo, Law 5778<\/strong> granted autonomy to the University, becoming the Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Santo Domingo (UASD)<\/strong>. In 1962<\/strong>, its first authorities were elected under autonomous regime.\n\n\n

Since then, UASD has consolidated as the main public higher education center<\/strong> of the country, with broad national and international influence in the training of professionals, intellectuals, and leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Faculties and Academic Offer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UASD has 9 faculties, over 60 undergraduate programs, and numerous postgraduate programs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Faculties:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n