The Pontifical Catholic University “Madre y Maestra” recently celebrated its forty-third anniversary, and the rector, Monsignor Agripino Nunez Collado, reaffirmed the academic institution’s basic principles: “Students are the reason for the university’s existence.”
With each passing year the PUCMM is increasing the number of international students in its classrooms, where they partake of over 100 different academic programs. Of these programs, 65% are special courses, usually in-service training, Masters degrees or Doctorate programs. Thirty five percent of the courses offered are for undergraduate programs.
Currently there are more than 1,500 students from Haiti, over 600 from the United States and dozens more from Colombia, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Chile, Guatemala, China, Australia and Nicaragua. There are professors from 20 different countries. In the search for continual improvement, there are 165 faculty members doing graduate work at the Masters or Doctoral level.
One of the most important statements made by Monsignor Nunez Collado was in reference to the financial aid offered to all qualified students. As part of the university’ s basic creed, the university is open to all qualified students without regard to race, color or religion. To allow this to be a reality in the Dominican society, the university offers student credit facilities. The rector rejected the idea of scholarships as “paternalistic” but he cited the 94% return rate on the student loans that are offered. During the current semester there are RD$40 million in student loans.