The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) warned that the cut to its budget planned in the Federal Expenditure Budget (PEF) project for 2025 will have a direct impact on approximately 110,000 students who receive some type of scholarship. This reduction contrasts with previous statements from President Claudia Sheinbaum, who had mentioned a "rise similar to inflation" for autonomous educational institutions.
UNAM stressed that having sufficient resources is crucial to offer quality public higher education. It pointed out that continuous investment is needed to support 373,000 students, maintain infrastructure, update academic programs, as well as to promote research and cultural dissemination.
In the words of UNAM: "This reduction to our budget would directly impact about 110,000 students from households with high economic vulnerability, who are supported each year with some type of scholarship." The institution has implemented austerity and efficient resource use programs in the last decade.
The PEF 2025 project proposes a cut of 5,360 million pesos to UNAM's budget. This would reduce the university's budget from 50,418 million pesos this year to 45,058 million.
President Claudia Sheinbaum recommended that UNAM adopt an austerity policy regarding the proposal to increase student enrollment. The rector, Leonardo Lomelí, had expressed the need for greater investment to achieve such an increase, proposing that the budget be raised to 52,500 million pesos for the year 2025. Sheinbaum announced that the government will review the request and assured that an increase in the budgets of public universities, including UNAM, is planned for 2025.
