Mara Lezama and Xóchitl Herrera Sign Agreement Creating Rosario Castellanos University in Playa del Carmen and Chetumal

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa and Rector Xóchitl Herrera Márquez of the National University “Rosario Castellanos” signed a coordination agreement to establish the Playa del Carmen Academic Unit, a project that will expand public, tuition-free higher education in the state. Classes are set to begin on August 31.

The governor highlighted that the new institution is part of a policy promoted by President Claudia Sheinbaum to broaden educational opportunities for young people and guarantee access to quality professional training.

“This is a public policy of our beloved President, Dr. Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, who always thinks about young people, so they have these opportunities to study a career and move toward a better future,” Lezama said.

More than 150.8 million pesos (about $7.5 million) will be allocated for the construction and equipment of the campus, sourced from the Multiple Contributions Fund (FAM). The funds will be managed through public bidding processes with transparency mechanisms.

The Playa del Carmen campus will initially offer five bachelor’s degrees: Artificial Intelligence Engineering, Tourism, Psychology, Economics and Sustainable Development, and Humanities and Multimedia Narratives. Each program will have capacity for 80 students per generation.

During the signing, officials reported that the call for the first generation far exceeded expectations, with more than 980 applicants against an initial 400 spots. Adjustments were made to offer educational alternatives to all registered students.

In Chetumal, the Rosario Castellanos University will begin operations in March 2027, offering degrees in Community Medicine, Community Nursing, and Psychology, among others. Additional programs such as Sports Experience Design are planned.

State officials present included Education Secretary Elda Xix Euán, Legal Counsel Carlos Felipe Fuentes del Río, COQHCYT Director Cristopher Malpica Morales, IFEQROO Director Moisés Pérez Canto, and Chief of Staff Eric Arcila Arjona. Representing the university were Secretary General Antonio Méndez Hernández, Director of Administration and Finance Joel Enrique Fonseca Alva, Deputy Director of Academic Units Javier Ceja Pérez, and Communications Director Irving Monroy Márquez.