niversidad Azteca (hereafter UA) was founded in 1994 by its current Rector Magnificus, a distinguished figure in the field of higher education development, especially associated with projects aimed at broadening access. It was registered as a ‘sociedad civil’ on 15 July of that year (no. 21476). By 2008, Universidad Azteca began establishing ten satellite campuses elsewhere in Mexico to provide classroom-based courses, as well as sixteen information/ tutorial support centres (also in Mexico itself) where students taking programmes in online mode could receive an element of blended learning. Based on the success of these experiments, the University embarked on an initiative to deliver programmes outside Mexico, predominantly using a mix of online/blended learning methodologies, but also some purely online delivery. This initiative was marked on 19 February 2010 by the creation of the Deanship of European Programs, and Cooperation’s ay UAE and India respectively, focusing on the special management and infrastructure needs of the overseas programmes. Universidad Azteca’s legal status in Mexico is as a fully recognised private university registered by SEP, the Mexican Secretariat of Public Education, (9 April 1999, No 15-00084), its modus operandi being as a not for profit association having some of the characteristics of a trust and an academic cooperative in UK terms. Mexican Government recognition gives the University the right to offer courses which are individually approved by SEP through the process of RVOE (Reconocimiento de Validez Oficial de Estudios) as well as its own academic and professional higher degrees (grados proprios). The documented history of Universidad Azteca operations in Mexico shows a careful and reflective approach with realistic target-setting, year by year, in terms of issues such as physical facilities, student support systems, faculty and staff development and interaction, programme diversification, and external recognition, of getting accreditation from ASIC UK. This process accords also with the commitment to external accreditation in Universidad Azteca’s institutional plan for 2011-2020. The overseas programmes are managed from Universidad Azteca by the Director & Chair of International Programmes, Dr Ricardo Saavedra, and coordinated by the Dean of European Programmes, Dr Gerhard Berchtold, whose remit extends outside Europe. There are double-degree awarding agreements with Universidad Central de Nicaragua (UCN), with Universidad Catolica San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM) in Spain.
