2017 Yearbook - Universidad ORT Uruguay

5 INSTITUTIONAL OVERVIEW Our university is committed to contributing to the country’s development through applied research, partnerships with the private sector, and the training of professionals who can perform effectively in the knowledge society. Our graduates are equipped with the tools to adapt to change with flexibility, a proactive attitude, and a critical mindset; they value teamwork, understand the challenges posed by technological advancements in their fields, and operate with skill in an international context. Our educational philosophy promotes the pursuit of quality, innovation, and respect for ethical standards in professional practice. We offer 65 professional, undergraduate, and technical degrees in Architecture, Engineering, Biotechnology, Management, Economics, International Relations, Design, Animation, Communication, and Education. More than 11,000 students enroll annually in programs across five schools and institutes. We have been pioneers in introducing new degree programs and educational technologies in Uruguay, and each year we allocate resources to the continuous improvement of teaching and research methods, educational infrastructure, and faculty development. Our academic faculty includes more than 1,500 professors and researchers, selected for their professional excellence and commitment to teaching, more than a third of whom work full-time. Graduates and students are distinguished by their competent and creative contributions in their fields, winning awards and recognition and achieving high levels of employment. More than 18,000 graduates are successfully working in our country or abroad, in many cases in business or social ventures they have created themselves. The average employment rate of our university graduates in recent years exceeds 95%. We have an academic infrastructure that includes practical and experimental laboratories in computer science, electronics, biotechnology, and audiovisual production for online courses; workshops in design, construction, technology, and 3D prototyping; a professional television studio; videoconferencing rooms; and three auditoriums. Students and faculty have access to two libraries with specialized collections and electronic databases. The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) features an innovation lab where all areas of knowledge and development at the university converge. The CIE fosters an entrepreneurial mindset among students and graduates and strengthens the community of entrepreneurs in a dynamic space where they can work, collaborate, and co-create. We maintain academic cooperation agreements with more than 180 universities and international organizations worldwide to facilitate student exchanges and collaborative research and teaching projects, and we are members of major international academic associations, including the International Association of Universities (AIU) and the Union of Latin American Universities (UDUAL). Our university began its activities in Uruguay in 1942 as a technical school and was recognized as a university by the Ministry of Education and Culture in 1996. It is a member of World ORT, an international educational network founded in 1880 by the Jewish community of St. Petersburg, Russia.