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President Sheinbaum Endorses New UNAM Campus in Mexico City, Calls for Increased Educational Funding
Mexico City, October 19, 2026 – President Claudia Sheinbaum has publicly backed the construction of a new campus for the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in the southeastern part of Mexico City. During her morning press conference on Monday, October 19, Sheinbaum emphasized the importance of expanding public education, stating, “It’s always good for the country when public schools are opened.”
The announcement of the new UNAM facility was made by Mexico City’s Head of Government, Clara Brugada, during her Second Government Report. This project marks a significant expansion of higher education access in the capital, representing the first UNAM campus of this scale to be built in Mexico City in over 50 years.
A Major Investment in Higher Education
The new campus will house a branch of the National School of Superior Studies (ENES) and is projected to accommodate up to 20,000 students. The Mexico City government will be responsible for the construction of the facilities, while UNAM will oversee the equipping and operation of the campus. The primary goal is to increase the availability of higher education opportunities and bring university access closer to young people in the southeastern region of the city.
President Sheinbaum highlighted ongoing communications between Rosaura Ruiz, Secretary of Science, Humanities, Technology, and Innovation, and both the Mexico City government and UNAM’s Rectorate to advance the project. She noted that UNAM has a substantial budget this year, which she views as the government’s contribution to enabling the university to create more student slots.
Call for Austerity and Resource Reallocation
Sheinbaum also suggested that UNAM could implement internal adjustments to allocate more resources towards opening educational spaces. “I have said it many times here, I believe there is still room for more republican austerity, to reduce bureaucratic expenses and dedicate them to opening more educational spaces,” she asserted.
The new ENES campus is a result of an agreement between UNAM and the Mexico City government aimed at boosting educational offerings in an underserved area. Proposed academic fields for the new campus include Medicine, Data Science, and Nanotechnology, alongside programs focused on environmental issues.
Coordination and Future Development
While the project has been announced, its successful development will depend on close coordination between both institutions for construction, equipping, and operational readiness. President Sheinbaum’s message underscored her commitment to expanding public education and her call for universities to review their expenditures to ensure more resources directly benefit students.
The initiative aligns with broader efforts to guarantee the right to public education, a principle Sheinbaum has frequently championed. The expansion is expected to significantly impact access to higher education for thousands of students in Mexico City, particularly in a region that has historically faced limited university options.
Source: chilango.com
