Major Latin American University Launches Specialization Featuring Crypto-Related Topics

One of the biggest and most laureate universities in Latin America approved the launch of a Financial Engineering specialization course, whose modules cover crypto and blockchain-related subjects, marking it a historic landmark across the region’s educational sector.

Mexico’s Biggest University Is Set to Teach Crypto Topics on Brand-New Specialization

According to the official announcement in its monthly bulletin, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) said that the new course would be available for both full-time and part-time students, with a duration of two semesters and four semesters, respectively.

The objective of the course reads as follows:

Graduates will be able to evaluate the profitability of public and private companies, develop financing strategies; design, develop and implement innovative financial instruments and processes; design investment portfolios, measure financial risk, among others.

However, the announcement didn’t provide full details on which subtopics will be dedicated to crypto matters. Still, press reports, citing Eloisa Cadenas, CEO of Mexico-based CryptoFintech, pointed out bitcoin and blockchain technology development as topics discussed within the course.

The UNAM clarified that Financial Engineering is aimed at those who have completed a degree in Engineering, Mathematics, Actuary or graduated from related careers in Physical Mathematical Sciences and Engineering.

The inception of crypto-related topics into the university marks the debut at higher-level educational institutions in Latin America. The course is not a diploma course, as it’s a specialization for those who already earned a degree.

UNAM’s Previous Flirting With Blockchain Topics

But this is not the first time that the Mexico City-based university gives room to blockchain-related topics within their academic curriculum.

On August 20, 2020, the UNAM’s Continuing Education Division of the Faculty of Accounting and Administration offered a diploma course in Financial Technologies, which covered fintech, law, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain topics.

According to Webometrics 2020-2, UNAM is the second-best university in Latin America, behind the University of Sao Paulo. The Mexican university is also known for being the educative institution where all three nation’s Nobel laureates — Alfonso García Robles, Mario Molina, and Octavio Paz — completed their studies.