---
title: "University of Panama Resumes In-Person Classes October 19 After Earthquake"
date: 2026-10-17
author: "Panama Daily News"
url: https://panamadaily.news/2026/10/17/university-of-panama-resumes-in-person-classes-october-19-after-earthquake/
categories:
  - "News"
---

# University of Panama Resumes In-Person Classes October 19 After Earthquake

The University of Panama (UP) will resume in-person classes on Monday, October 19, 2026, following structural inspections of its facilities after the earthquake that struck the country on Friday, October 9. The university’s Rectoría announced that the return will be carried out in phases, faculty by faculty, with some units going back to the classroom while others continue temporarily in remote mode.

## What Happened

After the October 9 earthquake, the University of Panama suspended in-person activities and carried out inspections across its campuses to evaluate the condition of buildings and classrooms. Based on the results of those evaluations, the Rectoría determined that the university could begin a staggered return to in-person instruction starting Monday, October 19.

The phased reopening means that only certain faculties will physically return to campus on that date, while others will continue in non-person modalities — such as virtual or online learning — until authorities confirm their facilities are ready to receive students safely.

The university did not treat the return as a single, uniform event. Instead, officials organized the comeback by faculty, allowing each academic unit’s timeline to reflect the specific condition of the buildings it occupies.

## Background

The University of Panama is the country’s leading public institution of higher education and one of its largest universities, serving tens of thousands of students across its main campus in Panama City and regional centers throughout the country. Any disruption to its academic calendar affects a significant portion of Panama’s student population.

Panama sits in a seismically active region of Central America, where tectonic activity along the Caribbean plate boundary can produce earthquakes felt across the isthmus. The October 9 earthquake prompted precautionary reviews of public infrastructure, and educational institutions routinely suspend in-person activities after significant seismic events so that engineers can verify that buildings remain structurally sound before students and staff return.

## What This Means for Panama

The staged resumption of classes signals that inspections found the majority of the university’s facilities safe for occupancy, allowing academic life to gradually normalize just over a week after the earthquake. For students in the faculties cleared to return, in-person classes, laboratories and campus activities resume on October 19.

For faculties remaining in remote mode, the situation is temporary, and students should watch for further announcements from the Rectoría about when their units will be cleared for in-person return. The university’s phased approach is designed to prioritize safety while minimizing further disruption to the academic semester.

The announcement also offers a broader indicator for the country: as one of Panama’s largest public institutions completes its post-earthquake evaluations and reopens, it reflects the wider process of inspection and recovery underway across affected infrastructure following the October 9 quake.

This story was originally reported by [Telemetro](https://www.telemetro.com/nacionales/universidad-panama-retomara-clases-presenciales-el-19-octubre-que-facultades-regresan-n6095594).