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TheNational University of Distance Education (Spanish:Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia,UNED) is adistance learning andresearchuniversity founded in 1972 and is the only university run by thegovernment of Spain. The headquarters is located inMadrid, withcampuses in allSpanish autonomous communities. There are 14 study centers and 3 exam points in 13 countries inEurope,the Americas andAfrica. The University awards undergraduate and postgraduatedegrees, as well as non-degree qualifications such asdiplomas andcertificates, orcontinuing education units.
UNED is focused ondistance learning combined with traditional classroom instruction (called hybrid[6] orblended[7]) and supports over 150,000 students.[8][9]
Founded in 1972 with the stated purpose of providing education opportunities via adistance education system - in which students are taught while not being physically present - UNED awards the same qualifications as otherSpanish universities and has the sameentry requirements. At UNED, undergraduate students study independently using official course materials provided online or by mail, such as textbooks, study guides, exercises, and multimedia resources. Because UNED is a distance learning university, students must organize their own study schedules and manage their time carefully to keep up with the course content. They can also attend online or in-person tutoring sessions and participate in forums or study groups to clarify doubts and practice.
When it comes to exams, students must register in advance to take their tests at official UNED examination centers located in various cities across Spain and internationally. Exams usually take place at the end of each semester and can be written, oral, or a combination, depending on the subject. During the exam, students are required to demonstrate their understanding of the material by answering questions or completing exercises within a fixed time.
Importantly, all exams are supervised by proctors at these examination centers. The supervisors verify student identity, ensure that exam rules are followed, and monitor the exam room to prevent cheating or any unfair behavior. This supervision guarantees the integrity and fairness of the evaluation process. While some courses may include continuous assessment through assignments or online activities, the final supervised exams are the main method used to evaluate students and award credits toward their degrees.
UNED currently has 61 study centers in Spain and - with the co-operation of local institutions - 14 international centers. These locations provide face-to-face sessions with professors once a week. The international centers are located inBata,Bern,Brussels,Buenos Aires,Caracas,Frankfurt,Lima,London,Malabo,Mexico City,Paris andSão Paulo. There are exam points inBogotá,Berlin,New York,Rome andSantiago de Chile.
In 2012 the Spanish newspaperEl País featured an article about the launch of UNX, an online platform for teaching entrepreneurship through building mobile apps with App Inventor. UNED is a collaborating partner in this project, along with theMassachusetts Institute of Technology Center for Mobile Learning. The UNX online courses are intended to bring technology and entrepreneurship education about to the entire Spanish-speaking world.[10]
A number of factors have been cited to justify the public prestige of UNED:[11]
In the last 30 years, UNED has awarded almost 2,000PhD degrees.[12]
Its international reputation is indicated in that it has held theUNESCO chair in distance education since 1997. This chair promotes research, development and documentation in the field of distance education.[13]
Today, UNED comprises 11 faculties and the following bachelor's degree studies:[14]
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UNED hosted several educationalradio programs, broadcast internationally onRadio 3 ofRNE.Edith Checa was the director and announcer of the following from 1989 to 2005:
Educational documentaries were broadcast internationally onLa 2 onTVE and onTVE Internacional. Edith Checa was a presenter and writer. Recordings of the shows are hosted on theUNED Documentos YouTube channel.
