Founded in 1910, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) traces its roots to the Royal and Pontificial University of Mexico (Real y Pontificia Universidad de México), first established in 1551. After the War of Independence (which began in 1810), the University witnessed one of the most important social and liberal movements in the century.

Since its foundation and throughout the 1990s, the University has become a symbol of the birth of the middle class and the Welfare State. The Mexican Revolution (1910) brought new social ideals, included for the first time in a new constitution (still in force since 1917). Among those principles, public education was established as the most important way to promote equality in Mexico. As a result of this new social awareness, the university was declared autonomous in 1929.

Few years later, a group of Spanish scientists and scholars, Spanish Civil War exiles, enthusiastically contributed in organizing research activities in several disciplines. In 1940, one of these projects was the Institute of Comparative Law, which was renamed in 1967 to become what is now the Institute of Legal Research (IIJ).

ABOUT THE IIJ

The IIJ today has 90 full-time researchers. In addition to one of the most important legal libraries in Latin America (Biblioteca Jorge Carpizo), the IIJ manages one of the leading legal publishing houses in Mexico. The IIJ produces research materials in many different branches of law, building its reputation over the past seven decades (especially among Spanish-speaking countries) on Constitutional legal studies, among other fields. Since 1974, the IIJ has been the permanent seat of the Ibero-American Institute of Constitutional Law, composed of 18 national sections that promote various academic activities and publications in the continent.

As part of the celebrations for the 200th anniversary of the Mexican Independence and the 100th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution, the IIJ has the honor of organizing the 8th World Congress of the International Association of Constitutional Law in December 2010. This important event will take place at the Palacio de Minería [Mining Palace], at the heart of the Old University Quarter. The World Congress will take place in the middle of the most magnificent area in downtown Mexico City.

ABOUT THE IACL
(text from about the IACL page)

In the last twenty-five years, new constitutional systems have been developed in all parts of the world. At the same time, more established constitutional systems are facing unprecedented challenges, many of which are associated with the new global order. Despite the great differences between countries and systems, it is apparent that constitutional scholars and jurists throughout the world are grappling with many comparable problems. These include, for example, the manner of enforcement of fundamental rights (particularly the ‘second generation’ of social and economic rights), and the challenges posed by 9/11 and its aftermath to our understanding of the role and value of human rights. The growing number of judicial decisions at the supra-national and international levels also raises new questions for domestic constitutional systems, which are only just beginning to be tackled.

The degree of difference between constitutional systems depends of course on the history, culture and legal tradition of the countries concerned. The overriding objective of the IACL is to provide a forum in which constitutionalists from all parts of the world can begin to understand each other’s systems, explain and reflect on their own, and engage in fruitful comparison, for a variety of purposes. To this end, the Association endeavours to ensure that its processes and activities are suited to its diverse membership, whilst at the same time retaining the scientific and scholarly approach on which the credibility of its work depends.

The Specific Aims of the Association Include:

• To develop a network of constitutionalists from countries throughout the world.
  
• To develop a network of constitutionalists from countries throughout the world.
  
• To provide a forum for the exchange of knowledge and information about constitutional systems.
  
• To examine and compare common constitutional issues and phenomena.
  
• To anticipate new issues and identify approaches which might be taken to them.
  
• To offer a pool of experts from which teams might be constructed to examine and provide advice on particular issues.