August 21, 2026.— The National School of Public Administration ( Universidad Panamericana ) held its fourth Academic Year Opening Ceremony, an event that marked the start of the countdown to the institution’s 60th anniversary, which will be celebrated in October 2027.
This event has a history dating back more than 700 years in the tradition of highly prestigious European universities. The Universidad Panamericana , continues this tradition—which is celebrated on every campus—to mark the end of one academic term and announce the start of the next, as well as to bring the entire community together to hear the Master’s Lecture.
At the Mexico City campus, the ceremony was presided over by Dr. Santiago García Álvarez, rector of the Mexico campus, and Dr. Fernanda Llergo Bay, President of the National Institute of Higher Education ( Universidad Panamericana ) and IPADE. Also in attendance were the vice rectors— Mtra. Cecilia Canal, Dr. Héctor X. Ramírez Pérez, and Dr. Guillermo Tenorio Cueto—as well as faculty members, special guests, students, and staff.
Reclaiming the universitas in times of fragmentation
During his remarks, Dr. Santiago García Álvarez addressed the concept of the university (universitas), understood as an intellectual community that seeks a holistic view of knowledge. He noted that this conception has been fragmented by growing hyperspecialization and emphasized that the university experience must be grounded in truth, beauty, and justice. Finally, the rector warned of the risks of reducing education to mere technical efficiency:
“The quality of teaching defines the mark our students will leave on the world. Education must be, above all, an exercise in hope that categorically rejects soulless efficiency,” he emphasized .
A Response to the Digital Acceleration
For her part, Dr. Fernanda Llergo Bay explained that the current digital age is not merely undergoing a technological transformation, but rather a profound anthropological crisis that threatens to dehumanize individuals by replacing independent thought and freedom with immediacy, data overstimulation, and passivity in the face of algorithms and artificial intelligence.
To address this challenge, he argued that the “ Universidad Panamericana ” leads a countercultural movement that promotes a “pedagogy of reflection”— an educational approach focused on teaching how to think, restoring the value of silence, inner reflection, unhurried study, and authentic human encounter—thus ensuring that technology serves the truth, dignity, and transcendent meaning of the person.
Aguascalientes Campus
In his speech, Dr. Antonio de los Reyes Moreno, dean of the Aguascalientes campus, encouraged students to face today's challenges without losing sight of the human dimension of their education.
“Today’s world demands professionals with the highest level of technical expertise, but above all, with unwavering ethical standards and a deep sense of humanity. It is not enough to be the best in the world; we must aspire to be the best for the world.”
Guadalajara Campus
Dr. Abraham Mendoza, president of the Guadalajara campus, reflected on the institution’s identity and mission and emphasized its commitment to developing leaders with sound judgment and educational excellence:
“What does it mean today to bear the name of the ‘ Universidad Panamericana ’? It means teaching with depth and excellence; conducting research, innovating, fostering critical thinking, seeking the truth, and preparing people capable of facing an extraordinarily complex world. In this regard, Pope Leo XIV reminds us that one of the great challenges facing universities is to integrate knowledge in order to understand complexity, rather than merely accumulating information.”
Service as a Standard of Excellence
The day’s events concluded with the keynote address titled “Service Is the True Luxury,” delivered by María Alejandra Olano Venegas, Manager of Communications, Corporate Affairs, and Sustainability at Porsche Colombia. During her presentation, the speaker emphasized that the deeper meaning of any professional work lies in human dignity and the spirit of service.
In discussing the concept of “New Luxury,” Olano explained how organizations are shifting toward models based on sustainability and authenticity, in which prestige lies not in material exclusivity but in the strength of their values.
“Putting our own talents and resources to work in the service of caring for others is, ultimately, the greatest luxury we can aspire to.”
With this Opening Ceremony for the 2026–2027 academic year, the University of the Andes ( Universidad Panamericana ) begins a new academic year by reaffirming its commitment to an education that integrates academic excellence, critical thinking, innovation, ethics, and a humanistic perspective, as it moves toward the celebration of its 60th anniversary.
