[citation needed] Other institutions affiliated with, but independent from, Ibero in Mexico City are found in Guadalajara, León, Torreón, Puebla, Playas de Tijuana, and Jaltepec.

The founding came at a time when church-state relations in Mexico had improved over the late 1920s during the Cristero War and in the 1930s when the government attempted to implement education toward socialism in the Mexican universities.

[7] When Jesuits reached New Spain in 1572, their religious and educational zeal led them to create renowned teaching and research centers – such as the colleges of St. Ildefonso, Vizcainas, and St. Peter and St. Paul, to mention a few of the prestigious institutions of that time.

Besides classrooms, laboratories, and workshops in physics, chemistry, photography, design, psychology, engineering, communications, architecture, and nutrition, the university houses the Francisco Xavier Clavigero library, the FM 90.9 radio station, and several auditoriums.

Other facilities on campus include sports fields and related conveniences, a medical center, three cafeterias, an on-campus bookstore, a stationery shop, bank branches, and other university stores.

Other distinguished alums with high name recognition internationally are actress Salma Hayek; Academy Award-winning film maker Alejandro González Iñárritu; and journalist Jorge Ramos.