History and evolution of Dominican higher education

Dominican higher education in the colonial era

Higher education in the Dominican Republic began 26 years after the discovery of

the American continent, when the Higher Study of the Dominican Priests was

created in the year 1518, which was elevated to the category of university on

October 28, 1538. by Pope Paul III, through the Papal Bull “In Apostolatus

Culmine”, changing its name to Saint Thomas Aquinas University, Primate of

America. He began teaching with four Faculties: Medicine, Law, Theology and Art,

similar to the institutions of the time of the metropolis, in particular he adhered to

the model of the University of Alcalá de Henares, which was inspired by the

Renaissance ideas that arose. of the medieval world. Art studies consisted of two

modalities: “trivium”, Grammar, rhetoric and logic, and the “quadrivium”, Arithmetic,

Geometry, Astronomy and Music. The extension activities that were developed for

society in this period were limited to catechism, adult literacy programs, choral

groups, theater, poetry contests, and informing the population about bodily hygiene

and when an epidemic arose. Over time, this institution has been subject to various

changes, among which are political, social and structural changes that are closely

related to the development of Latin American higher education since the first

intellectual elites were formed in its classrooms, who later They founded other

higher education institutions in the country and in the Latin American region.
Fray Tomás de San Martín can be considered the virtual founder of the University

of Santo Domingo, since he remained in the role of Regent until 1538, when he

was transferred to Peru, where he established the University of San Marcos de

Lima, the second in be formalized as such on the Continent, authorized by the

Royal Decree of May 12, 1551, while the University of Mexico was founded shortly

after in the same year.

During the 16th century, the Gorgón College was also created in the year 1550, an

institution elevated to the category of University in the year 1558, acquiring

recognition of its status as a university by Royal Decree of 1741. This institution

was part of the struggles between civil and ecclesiastical powers in Santo Domingo

and became with the change of the name to the University of Santiago de la Paz,

in the year 1583. This institution implements the model of the University of

Salamanca, which represents the student environment and liberalism of Bologna.

When the Jesuits arrived in the country in 1649, they began to teach classes at this

university and in 1701 King Philip V of Borbón gave the building to the Jesuits so

that they could teach classes there to the Semiranists.

Dominican higher education in the first independence

Dominican higher education in the second independence

Dominican higher education in the 20th century

Dominican higher education in the 21st century