Q. Can you explain to us what Uniagustiniana means?
A. “The Augustinian University or Uniagustiniana is an academic community that is dedicated to the integral formation of the new generations. Our reason for being is the students whom we educate to become leaders and indefatigable searchers of truth under the Augustinian principles of interiority, freedom, friendship and sense of community. We form professionals who, with their human quality, social obligation, ethical and moral values, will contribute to the construction and development of the country. Our clear and primary mission is to initiate educative processes with abnegation and quality, the visible results of which would be the creation of new conditions of life where justice, solidarity and individual as well as collective growth, are common and possible factor for all”.
Q. Why did the Augustinian Recollects opt for a university education?
A. It has been considered for years, but the idea has never been consolidated for various reasons. The desire was always there, most especially in consideration of our philosophy and theology students and the possibility for them to obtain titles directly without the hustle of accreditation prior to further studies of one or two more years. The practice involved more years in school and additional expenses. Finally an agreement was reached with the Universidad de San Buenaventura that our students had to complete their studies with the university and get their master degree. It was in this context, and with the construction of what was intended to be the Augustinian college of San Nicolas well in progress, in those times when problems were encountered with the secretary of education, that the possibility to have a university, a dream of many years, came to be realized in the form we see it today.
It is noteworthy to mention the great support we received from persons who knew of our dedication to education, our experience in the educational apostolate, persons who said that our debt to provide higher education in Colombia has been long overdue. This should have been done many years ago.
Q. Can you provide us some data on the important impact of Uniagustiniana on the academic formation of the youth of Colombia?
A. Aside from the licentiate in philosophy and theology, the Ministry of National Education also granted approval to eleven formative programs and five specializations: Technology in Software Development, Technology in Gastronomy, Film and Television, Engineering and Tourism, Engineering and Telecommunications, Industrial Engineering, Marketing, International Business, Administration and Enterprise, Public Accounting and Architecture. The five specializations are: Management and Enterprise, Quality Management, Environmental Management, Pedagogy and Social Security.
As far as the number of students is concerned, we increased from 919 in 2007, the year the university opened, to 2,805 this current school year. Of course, the growth in number of students means growth in the faculty staff, both full-time and part-time, and classroom hours. If before we had 110, today there are 189 teachers.
The Augustinian University or Uniagustiniana is an academic community that is dedicated to the integral formation of the new generations. Q. Can you tell us about the activities you have organized in Uniagustiniana?
R. We do not only prepare good professionals, our objective is to form the young in human values and commitment to solidarity. For this we are involved in different parallel activities, like: Augustinian Chair; Augustinian Pedagogical Colloquium; Forums in Humanities; Celebration of Augustinian Week; Sports, Cultural and Spiritual Encounters; Research Initiatives; Formative Seminars and Developmental Formation.
The data speak of the progress of this new ministry of the Order in Columbia and of the responsibility that the venture into higher education involves. They speak of human and academic formation of great quality that responds to actual circumstances.
Q. How does the University contribute to evangelization and the transmission of values?
A. Once the Order involves itself in the university it starts to experience changes in its direction, in its focus, that projects it to the ideal of formation in values of all the members, permeating all activities that constitute it, and this includes the transmission of knowledge. There is the effort to make these values made known to all by means of intellectual discourse and series of fraternal, recreational, sports and religious activities; and may they be incarnated in their personal and university life, under the illumination of the word of God following the principles and directives exposed by the Catholic Church and the Augustinian doctrine.
“We do not only prepare good professionals, our objective is to form the young in human values and commitment to solidarity”. Q. What importance has Augustine in your educational plan?
A. Much importance, of course! The Augustinian Chair is institutional and is part of the different academic programs every semester. We find ways to let the students know Augustine, and not only know the saint, but also to enrich them with his wisdom and experience. There is the plan to strengthen the center of Augustinian Studies and to produce textbooks, which are fruits of researches on Augustine. There are also forums, symposia, and encounters with other academic centers with St. Augustine as the point of reference.
Q. How do the Augustinian Recollects make their presence felt in the Uniagustiniana?
A. At present there are only five of us in the administration: the rector, the vice rector, the secretary general, chaplain and the coordinator of the programs of philosophy and theology. With the twelve religious in the teaching staff, we are seventeen in total. It is also good to know that our professed religious, who are students of theology, study in the university and thus also make their presence felt.
Q. How acceptable is the licentiate in theology that is offered by the university?
A. I cannot dare speak of the level of acceptability of a course that is but one semester old. What is clear is that we did speak with various bishops who expressed their support and desire to send their seminarians to the university. At present we have students from the diocese of Fontibon, a formand from a congregation and three lay theology students. The bishop of the diocese of Facatativa promised to send his seminarians to the university next year. We continue to offer the course to the different communities and seminaries, and we receive a lot of encouraging comments and support. This made us think that the offering is much welcomed, and besides our dedication to this educative process is well recognized by the universities to which we have been sending our seminarians for further studies. We are confident.
Q. What future challenges do you have?
A. That as an Augustinian University, we would be known as: Leader in research processes that contribute to the social transformation of the country; efficient and standard-bearer in ethical management of technologies of information and communication, in constant search of open dialogue, democratic participation and collective construction of truth; committed and attentive promoter of the betterment of the quality of life, the sustainability of the climate and the physical, intellectual, and spiritual development of the society. We shall continue to strengthen existing programs and offer new ones that will respond to the need of an education that transforms the person, and consequently, the society.