The National Autonomous University of Mexico is a public university. It was founded on September 21, 1551 with the name of the Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico. It is the largest and most important university in Mexico and Latin America. Its primary purpose is to be at the service of the country and humanity, to train professionals useful to society, to organize and carry out research, mainly about national conditions and problems, and to extend the benefits of culture as widely as possible.