2010 Yearbook - Universidad ORT Uruguay

4 2010 Yearbook INSTITUTIONAL OVERVIEW Founded in 1942 as a nonprofit technical school, Universidad ORT Uruguay currently the largest private university in Uruguay, with more than 11,000 students across five schools and institutes (1). It offers 27 undergraduate and graduate degrees in Architecture, Engineering, Biotechnology, Management, Economics, International Relations, Design, Communication, and Education. Meanwhile, the Department of Jewish Studies organizes courses and outreach activities. ORT is the only Uruguayan university ranked among the world’s top 500 in the 2010 World University Rankings published by QS World University Rankings. ORT has been a pioneer in introducing new degree programs and educational technologies in Uruguay. Each year, it dedicates significant resources to the continuous improvement of teaching and research methods, educational infrastructure, and faculty training. The academic staff includes more than 900 faculty members and researchers, selected for their professional excellence and commitment to teaching, a third of whom are full-time faculty. The educational philosophy promotes critical thinking, the pursuit of quality, and respect for ethical standards in professional practice. Graduates and students are distinguished by their professional and creative contributions in their fields, winning awards and recognition and achieving high levels of employment. More than 10,500 graduates are successfully working in our country or abroad, in many cases in companies they have founded themselves. The infrastructure includes practice and experimentation labs in computer science, electronics, and biotechnology; videoconferencing rooms, project rooms, and graphic, industrial, and fashion design labs; a professional-standard audiovisual production complex with a high-definition system; and auditoriums and seminar rooms equipped with the latest multimedia technology. Students and faculty have access to two libraries, a film library, and a virtual library with access to databases that allow for online consultation of articles published in academic journals. ORT is a member of major international academic associations, including the International Association of Universities (AIU) and the Union of Latin American Universities (UDUAL). It is a member of World ORT, an international educational network founded in 1880 by the Jewish community of St. Petersburg, Russia. It maintains academic cooperation agreements with more than 120 universities worldwide to facilitate student exchanges and collaborative research and teaching projects. (1) Statistical Yearbook of Education, Ministry of Education and Culture, 2009.