University of Buenos Aires: A Historical Overview of Programs and Impact

The University of Buenos Aires (UBA), a public research university in Buenos Aires, Argentina, stands as a significant institution in Latin America. As the second-oldest and largest university in Argentina, UBA has played a pivotal role in shaping the nation's intellectual, political, and cultural landscape. This article will explore the history of UBA, its programs, and its impact on Argentina and the world.

Foundation and Early Years

Unlike other major cities in the Spanish Colonial Americas, Buenos Aires did not have its own university during colonial times. The Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata was relatively less important compared to other regions in Spanish South America, as most economic activity was based around the Andes range. Following the May Revolution in 1810 and Argentina's Declaration of Independence in 1816, the push for a university in the capital of the newly independent nation strengthened. On August 12, 1821, the University of Buenos Aires was officially founded through a decree by Governor Martín Rodríguez.

In its early years, the university faced ideological conflicts between proponents of a laicist approach to education and those defending the traditional religious approach. To ensure a high level of professionalism and organization, existing institutions were integrated into the university. Courses on mathematics, drawing, nautical sciences, and natural history were transferred from the Consulate of Buenos Aires, the Military Medical Institute, and the Colegio de la Unión del Sud. Additionally, law professors and courses were incorporated from the Academia de Jurisprudencia.

Challenges and Transformations

The university's development was not without its challenges. Free access to the university was suspended during the rule of caudillo Juan Manuel de Rosas, leading to a considerable decrease in the number of students. Budget cuts imposed by Rosas's government resulted in professors not being paid, and the Department of Exact Sciences was nearly forced to close. However, during this period, Francisco Javier Muñiz made significant contributions to the field of paleontology in Argentina, becoming dean of the Faculty of Medicine.

Following the fall of Rosas at the Battle of Caseros in 1852, the situation normalized. In 1863, the university established the Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires, followed by the Escuela Superior de Comercio in 1890. In 1869, the first twelve Argentine engineers graduated from the University of Buenos Aires, known as the "Twelve Apostles." In 1891, the department of natural sciences was renamed Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, and in 1896, a special doctorate for chemistry was established.

Federalization and Scientific Advancement

The federalization of Buenos Aires in 1881 made the university dependent on the Argentine national state. During the Generation of '80, a period marked by the conservative elitism of Argentina's political class, the University of Buenos Aires made great progress in its scientific research, as the governing elites followed the ideals of positivism and scientificism popular in the late 19th century. The 1880s also saw the university's first women graduates, Élida Passo (pharmacy) and Cecilia Grierson (medicine). The newfound prosperity experienced by Argentina at the turn of the 20th century allowed the children of (primarily European) immigrants, the new Argentine middle class, to attend university for the first time.

The University Reform and its Impact

In June 1918, a political and cultural movement impulsed by students at the National University of Córdoba caused a shockwave across Latin America: students were now protesting for further autonomy in universities, democratically elected authorities and co-governance, and open contests for teaching positions. The reform set up the freedom for universities to define their own curriculum and manage their own budget without interference from the central government. In 1923, Ernesto de la Cárcova, a fine arts painter and academic professor, created the Extension Department of Fine Arts Education, known as the Superior Art School of the Nation in Spanish "Escuela Nacional Superior de las Artes", previously guilded in 1905 as the National Academy of Fine Arts in 1905, taking its long origins from the 1875 founding of the National Society of the Stimulus of the Arts by painters Eduardo Schiaffino, Eduardo Sívori, and others.

Political Interference and Repression

The university's co-governance and autonomy were suspended during the presidency of Juan Domingo Perón, beginning in 1946. Perón's government also made access to public universities completely free of cost, through Decree 29.337, in November 1949. The 1955 Revolución Libertadora re-established the university's autonomy and co-governance but also persecuted peronists and leftists within the university, leading to the expulsion and exile of hundreds of professors. Blacklists for university professors were established, and UBA was among the most affected institutions.

Further repression and persecution followed during the dictatorship of Juan Carlos Onganía, which intervened all universities and applied censorship to much of the universities' contents. On July 29, 1966, following a student-led occupation of five of UBA's faculties, state authorities dislodged the legitimately-elected authorities of said faculties and violently removed students, graduates, and professors from the premises. The students were protesting the 1966 coup d'état, which had deposed constitutional president Arturo Illia. The Night of the Long Batons ended with over 400 people detained, and several laboratories and libraries destroyed by state authorities. In the months that followed, hundreds of professors were fired or forced to leave their positions.

Return to Democracy and Modernization

The return of Juan Domingo Perón to power through democratic elections in 1973 marked the beginning of a new age for the University of Buenos Aires. In 1974, a new law (Ley 20.654) mandated all national and public universities' right to academic autonomy and administrative and economy autarky. In contradiction with the university autonomy law, Perón's wife and successor, Isabel Perón, appointed professed fascist Alberto Ottalagano as interventor of the university in 1974. Ottalagano launched a fierce campaign of persecution within the university, targeting students and professors suspected of being sympathizers of the Peronist Left.

Read also: History of the Block 'M'

An enhanced period of state terrorism followed the 1976 coup d'état, which brought to power the dictatorship of the National Reorganization Process. Professors and students were disappeared regardless of their political affiliations, as public universities were suspected of being "breeding grounds" for leftist sympathizers and subversives. In addition, the university's research production and curricula were subject to systemic censorship, and hundreds upon thousands of books were burned (including up to 90,000 books published by Eudeba, UBA's own university press). The dictatorship overran the principles of co-governance and established entrance exams, diminished entrance quotas, eradicated free education, and suspended entire degrees.

The university's autonomy and co-governance were re-established with the return of democracy in 1983. In 1985, the university established the Ciclo Básico Común (CBC; "Common Basic Cycle"), a fixed set of subjects that all aspiring UBA students must approve in order to become enrolled at the university. The CBC replaced the old entrance exams and sought to even the playing field for all students. In addition, in 1985 an agreement was signed between the university and the Federal Penitentiary System, creating what would later become the UBA XXII system.

Academic Programs and Global Education

UBA offers a wide array of programs across its thirteen faculties, covering disciplines from law and medicine to engineering and social sciences. The university is known for its commitment to research and academic excellence, attracting students and scholars from around the world.

UBA's Global Education Program, coordinated through the Office of International Affairs, provides students with opportunities to study abroad and gain international experience. One such program in Buenos Aires allows students to explore the city's rich history and culture while engaging in research and coursework. Students benefit from the guidance of Ohio State faculty leaders, ensuring a meaningful educational experience.

Featured Courses

Several courses offered through UBA's programs provide unique insights into Argentine history, culture, and society:

Read also: Legacy of Fordham University

Human Rights in Argentina: This course examines philosophical topics in human rights and the history and politics of human rights in Argentina, specifically during the military dictatorship and the democratic transition. Philosophical topics include: analysis of human rights, genocide, and torture; competing philosophical justifications; feminist theory and women's human rights.
History of Migration in Argentina: This course offers a study of the history of migration in Argentina. It examines the various historical contexts in which immigrant communities arrived in Argentina and how they were integrated into, or marginalized by, a larger national community.
Spanish Language Skills: This abbreviated language course provides students without prior course work or those who have basic knowledge of the language with an introduction to Spanish language skills; students with prior language experience are provided the opportunity to improve upon their oral, written, and reading comprehension skills. All students begin with an intensive week covering basic forms of grammar and vocabulary specific to topics discussed in the program.
Asian Diaspora in Latin America: This course examines the Asian diaspora in Latin America. It explores issues of immigration and cultural hybridity as related to descendants and national identity. This course discusses the intertwined relationships among power, representation, and cultural production.
Race, Ethnicity, and Nationalism in Latin America: This course explores the history of race, ethnicity, nationalism, nation-building processes, and migration in Latin American countries. It offers a study of the influences of Asian immigrant communities on Latin American populations. This course discusses the dynamics and demographics of Asian migration to Latin American and migrants' integration processes into the education system, labor market, and social, political, and cultural life.
State Terrorism and Human Rights: This course discusses state terrorism during the military dictatorship and issues in the quest for truth and justice. It explores the concept of human rights as encompassing issues related not only to political repression but also ethnicity, nationality, socio-economic inequality, and gender.
Global "Hotspots" of the Early Modern World: Buenos Aires: Buenos Aires is considered one of the global hotspots of the Early Modern World in that it was an important site of trade, cultural influence and political expansion. In the 18th century, it was considered a key port for Spain's American empire. As a result, immigrants from Africa, Europe and Asian moved to Buenos Aires, influencing the culture and commerce of the area. Today it is still known for its cultural diversity. With a population of 13 million it is the second largest metro area in South America. Through the course, students will learn about the emergence and history of the centers that connected Old and New Worlds and that served as places of innovation in commerce, political structures, and ideas. Participants on this program will gain knowledge about the origins of global trade, the competition amount rising nation-states, the unequal relations between centers and peripheries, and the the pathway to economic development that colonial regions followed. This will build a great foundation to better understand the present day world and development economics. Students will come to understand the ways in which diverse migrations shaped cities, how European influences met with indigenous and Asian influences to create new hybrid cultures and modes of urban living.

Student Experiences

Students participating in UBA's global education programs have shared their experiences through blog posts, highlighting the transformative impact of their studies.

Trip to Estancia Santa Susana: One student recounted their visit to Estancia Santa Susana, learning about the history of gauchos and estancias in Buenos Aires. They enjoyed riding horses and experiencing the traditional asado.
Trip to National Archives: Another student appreciated the opportunity to read older Spanish primary source documents, gaining insight into the evolution of the Spanish language.
Malba Museum Tour: Students enjoyed a private tour of the Malba Museum, engaging with interactive art pieces and gaining a deeper understanding of modern Latin American art.
La Casa Minima: A visit to La Casa Minima provided students with a glimpse into the history of slavery in Buenos Aires and the impact of Yellow Fever and Cholera on the city.
Tour of Zanjon de Granados Museum: Students explored the archeological works at Zanjon de Granados Museum, learning about the city's early infrastructure and restoration efforts.
Tango Show at El Querandi: Attending a tango show at El Querandi allowed students to experience the evolution of tango, from its immigrant influences to its modern form.
National Museum of Fine Arts: Visiting the National Museum of Fine Arts, students were exposed to Argentine political figures and learned about the design and fabrication of the May Pyramid in Plaza de Mayo.
Visit to AMIA: Students visited AMIA, the main association for Jewish people living in Argentina, learning about the history of the Argentine Jewish community and the 1994 bombing.

Governance and Structure

UBA does not have a single, unified campus. All of its facilities are spread out throughout the City of Buenos Aires, with some (especially branches of the CBC) based in the Greater Buenos Aires metro area. Since the 1918 University Reform, the University of Buenos Aires has been ruled by the principle of co-governance. The university is headed by the Rector and the Consejo Superior ("Superior Council"). The Consejo Superior is made up of the rector, the deans of the thirteen faculties, and five representatives for each of the three constituent bodies in the university: professors, students and graduates, rounding up to 29 members.

Each of the thirteen faculties is autonomous and self-governed. The faculties have a similar governing system: each of them has a democratically elected dean and a Consejo Directivo ("Directive Council"). The faculties' directive councils are made up of eight representatives for the professors, four representatives for the student body, and four representatives for the graduates. The Rector is elected every four years by the University Assembly (Asamblea Universitaria), made up of all members of the Consejo Superior and all members of the directive councils of all thirteen faculties. In the 21st century, diverse political forces have vyed for power across all of these democratically elected institutions.

Notable Alumni

Throughout its history, a sizeable number of UBA alumni have become notable in many varied fields, both academic and otherwise. Among them are four of Argentina's five Nobel Prize laureates, seventeen presidents of Argentina, and several other notable individuals in various fields, including sciences, business, literature, philosophy, law, medicine, the arts, architecture, and others.

Seventeen Argentine presidents have attended the University of Buenos Aires: Carlos Pellegrini, Luis Sáenz Peña, José Evaristo Uriburu, Manuel Quintana, Roque Sáenz Peña, Victorino de la Plaza, Hipólito Yrigoyen, Marcelo T. de Alvear, Agustín P. Justo, Roberto Ortiz, Ramón Castillo, Arturo Frondizi, Arturo Illia, Raúl Alfonsín, Adolfo Rodríguez Saá, Eduardo Duhalde, and Alberto Fernández. All of them, save for Justo, an engineer, and Illia, a physician, were educated at the Faculty of Law. Many political leaders and relevant figures have also been educated at UBA, such as the Marxist revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, who enrolled at the Faculty of Medicine in 1948. Several government ministers of Argentina have received their degrees at UBA, such as the foreign ministers José Luis Murature, Ángel Gallardo (also a Rector of UBA), Bonifacio del Carril, Miguel Ángel Zavala Ortiz, Juan Atilio Bramuglia, Susana Ruiz Cerutti, Guido di Tella, Adalberto Rodríguez Giavarini, Carlos Ruckauf, and Santiago Cafiero.

A number of relevant jurists have earned their law degrees at the UBA Faculty of Law. Carlos Saavedra Lamas, noted academic and jurist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 1936, earned his law degree at UBA and served as rector of the university from 1941 to 1943. Luis Moreno Ocampo, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, earned his degree in 1978. International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda judge Inés Mónica Weinberg de Roca is also a UBA alumna and former faculty, having taught courses on International Private Law since 2001. Several ministers of the Supreme Court of Argentina have been UBA alumni as well, such as Enrique S. Petracchi, Carlos Fayt, Carmen Argibay, Elena Highton de Nolasco, and Carlos Rosenkrantz. Mariela Belski, executive director of Amnesty International Argentina is also a UBA alumni. Prominent legal philosopher Eugenio Bulygin earned his law degree and his PhD at the UBA Faculty of Law, where he also taught throughout his career.

The University of Buenos Aires has produced several relevant figures in the field of medicine. Two Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine laureates have been educated at UBA: Bernardo Houssay (1947) and César Milstein (1984).

Prominent businesspeople educated at the University of Buenos Aires include oil tycoon Alejandro Bulgheroni, and his brother, Bridas Corporation CEO Carlos Bulgheroni; agri-business executive Andrea Grobocopatel, and sugar magnate Robustiano Patrón Costas. The university has also produced many successful startup founders.

A number of prominent scientists in diverse fields have been educated at the University of Buenos Aires; many of them have also taught classes and have conducted research at UBA. Luis Federico Leloir, Argentina's first Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureate for his discovery of the metabolic pathways in lactose, earned his degree at the Faculty of Medicine in 1932, and attended classes at the Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences early into his career as well. UBA has also produced a number of prominent biologists, especially in the field of Antarctic marine biology. Among these are Irene Schloss and Viviana Alder. Patricia Ortúzar, geographist and vice chair of the Antarctic Committee for Environmental Protection, also received her degree from the University of Buenos Aires.

UBA has produced a number of important thinkers and researchers in the fields of social science and philosophy. In the field of psychoanalysis, Faculty of Psychology alumna Alicia Beatriz Casullo is known for being the founder and first head of the Sociedad Argentina de Psicoanálisis.

The University of Buenos Aires has produced a number of prominent architects, renown both nationwide and internationally.

Writers associated with UBA include the novelist and short story writer Julio Cortázar, one of the founders of the Latin American Boom. After receiving a degree in Natural Sciences from the university, Alicia Jurado wrote biographies of William Henry Hudson, Cunninghame Graham, and Jorge Luis Borges.

The university operates its own radio station, Radio Universidad de Buenos Aires, broadcast on the FM 87.9 MHz frequency. Its content is mostly oriented toward academic and social topics.

tags: #university #of #buenos #aires #history #programs