Medicine students and UFM´s President, discussing excellence

Partial view of the medicine students

The students of the UFM´s Medicine School, accompanied by doctor Rodolfo Marroquín and other authorities and professors of that academic unit, met with UFM´s President Giancarlo Ibárgüen S. to know and discuss aspects of the excellence that is promoted in this house of studies.

While adressing the future doctors, Ibárgüen invited them to read the UFM´s creed contained in the
inaugural speech of our emeritus President, Manuel F. Ayau, in 1972.  In one of its parts, it says that «We believe in individual rights.  That Liberty and property must be respected always, because they are innate to man and because they are convenient to all social conglomerates.  We do not believe, then, that a conflict exists between individual rights and social interest as it could have between individual interest and general interest». 

Ibárgüen remembered that at the UFM, excellence is a virtue that is defined as «a superior quality that makes the persons or things worthy of singular esteem or estimation».  The President explained that, for the this house of studies, academic excellence is «the quality of ideas, principles and performances of those who, like professors or students, are habitually located above the simple material and routine fulfillment of their duties constituting, before all a alive example of coherent life».  Excellence thus understood «is possible in a frame of freedom, competition and respect». 

This commitment with excellence is contained in a document that, as a «contract with students and professors» has been drafted in the Francisco Marroquín University.  As examples of success in the search of excellence, the President showed the students some activities that are made at the UFM, such as the
New Media Center of Digital Resources, the
Popol Vuh Museum and the
Arboretum. 

Ibárgüen talked about the UFM´s mission, that is the education and diffusion of ethical, legal and economic principles of a society of free and responsible persons.  He also related the origins of this house of studies, that  turns 35 years old this year.  Ibárgüen also mentioned the importance of evaluating professors and the students responsibilities. 

Before concluding the meeting, President Ibárgüen listen to the students comments and answered their questions.  This year, the President already met with the students from Psychology, Nutrition and Law schools;  and he plans to meet with all of the UFM´s academic units. 

The meeting was held on February 2nd of 2006 in the Milton Friedman Auditorium, of New Media Building, at the main campus.
 
More photos
here.