Elías Bechara Zainúm

Elías Bechara Zainúm
Director of the University of Córdoba
In office February 15, 2012 – November 9, 2015
Personal details
Born	Elías Bechara Zainúm (1920-12-10)December 10, 1920 Lorica, Córdoba, Colombia
Died	August 9, 2013(2013-08-09) (aged 92) Montería, Córdoba, Colombia
Spouse	Saray Castilla
Residence	Montería, Córdoba
Alma mater	University of Missouri College of Business Harvard Business School

Elías Bechara Zainúm (December 10, 1920 - August 9, 2013) Was a Colombian educator, philanthropist and chemist-bacteriologist, founder of the University of Córdoba and the University of Sinú, in Colombia.

Early life

Son of Syrian-Lebanese migrants who arrived in Colombia towards the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, settling in Santa Cruz de Lorica Córdoba. His parents live there and they have his children, Elías being one of the minors. As a child he was a great reader and also always wanted to help and protect his classmates 1. As in Córdoba at that time, almost all the children only attended primary school 2, because there were no official secondary schools 3 and the children who wanted to continue studying high school had to travel to other cities such as Cartagena, with everything that , in those times it meant for the parents and for the child as well.

As a child, Elías Bechara had this situation, of moving to Cartagena to do his high school and pursue Higher Studies at the University of Cartagena. There he studied Chemistry, later he moved to Mexico and Texas to do a Specialization in Biochemistry and Laboratory. He returns to Colombia and settles in the city of Barranquilla where he begins his work as a teacher at the Universidad del Atlántico, alternating his time with research and the laboratory. He discovers the Retarded Formula of Penicillin (Pensolvox) that he sells for distribution to Laboratorio Own de Colombia.

Chemistry career

He studied Chemistry at the University of Cartagena and specialized in Biochemistry and Laboratory in Mexico and Texas.

Upon his return, she practiced her profession in Barranquilla and became a professor at the Universidad del Atlántico, alternating time between the laboratory and research. He patented the delayed formula of Penicillin (Pensolvox), acquired by the Own Laboratory of Colombia for its distribution.

Based in Montería, he wanted to contribute to the development of the region, flourishing his vocation as a teacher and founding, in 1962, the Lorica Agricultural Institute, ITA.

In 1964 he created the first University in the region: the National University of Córdoba, of which he was founder and twice Rector. But his dedication capacity and his altruistic spirit continue and in 1965, he creates in Montería the first departmental night high school on the Atlantic Coast.

He supports the opening of INEM Lorenzo María Lleras, providing the land for its construction. Likewise, he supports the creation of the Cecilia de Lleras School and the approval of the José María Córdoba National School.

University of Sinú

In 1974 he founded the Higher Educational Corporation of Córdoba (Cesco), which in 1980 became the Sinú University Corporation and in 2004, through Resolution No. 4973 of the Ministry of National Education (MEN), obtained recognition as a University, calling itself since then Universidad del Sinú -Elías Bechara Zainúm-,1 Institution since 2019 is Accredited in High Quality by the MEN (Ministry of National Education).

Dr. Elías Bechara Zainúm held important local, regional and national positions, among which are: Mayor of Montería, Senator of the Republic and councilor of the municipalities of Montería, Cereté and Los Córdobas. He was the first regional president of SENA; first President of Public Improvements; President of the Association of Higher Education Institutions of the Atlantic Coast; President of the Board of the Hospital San Jerónimo de Montería; first President of the Cotton Growers Association of Córdoba; first President of the Urrá Project.