La Universidad Austral The 2025 academic year began with a moving ceremony that brought together the entire university community. The ceremony was presided over by the Rector, Julián Rodríguez, who emphasized the institution's responsibility in educating future generations and its commitment to truth and peace.
“What a great opportunity we have before us! To educate future generations to be builders of a society based on social peace founded on truth. This enormous responsibility spurs us to work with seriousness and professionalism, fostering a desire to continuously improve the work that falls to us,” the Rector stated.
During his speech, Rodríguez addressed current global challenges, such as fake news, social and political polarization, international conflicts, and the emergence of disruptive technologies. In this context, he emphasized the essential role of the University in society: “Serving society by dedicating ourselves to truth and peace, which go hand in hand.”
She also called on the academic community to be protagonists of a cultural transformation guided by truth, noting that “it is not about imposing it, but about proposing it with kindness.” Along these lines, she emphasized the importance of education in the art of conversation and active listening, recalling the words of educator Parker Palmer: “Education should be a space where students can practice the art of conversation, learning to listen and speak with those who have different perspectives.”
Two ongoing challenges: presence in public debate and regional strengthening
At another point in his speech, Rodríguez emphasized the importance of the active participation of the Universidad Austral in the public debate, promoting reflections on key issues such as the defense of life, care for the environment, the value of work and the importance of the family.
“Another implication of this dream of educating for truth and peace is the desire to actively participate in public debate. We want to offer society reflections and ideas to be discussed and then incorporated into the public agenda,” she stated, highlighting, as an example, the impact of the Institute of Family Sciences' research on birth rates in Argentina and the School of Education's collaboration with multilateral organizations on high-impact projects. She also announced the creation of the Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities, focused on research and outreach, with the goal of having a greater influence on the public agenda.
On the other hand, he reaffirmed the institution's commitment to regional expansion, strengthening ties with universities and institutions in Latin America. "Last year we took the first steps toward a greater presence in Paraguay and have grown in our connections with universities throughout the region," he noted.
Strategic projects for the future
In his remarks, the Rector also presented three cross-cutting projects of significant importance within the University's strategic plan:
First, the promotion of entrepreneurship . Led by the Vice-Rector for University Relations, Ana Galeano, this project seeks to encourage the creation of businesses among students and faculty, with a special emphasis on biotechnology-based projects. “In Argentina, the number of businesses per capita is very low: 12 per thousand inhabitants, compared to 58 in Chile and 25 in Brazil. We will particularly support projects with a biotechnology base. We have reviewed the University's intellectual property regulations to facilitate this initiative,” she stated.
Furthermore, he announced support for research aimed at addressing the situation at CONICET. In this regard, the University will launch an office to facilitate the search for national and international funding for researchers, under the direction of the Vice-Rector for Research, Juan Bautista Echeverry.
And finally, the development of flexible, interdisciplinary and innovative academic programs , which will be supported by the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Lourdes Perea.
“These projects, which excite us so much, will become a reality if we have the necessary resources: people, systems, and money. We want to take a leap forward as a university in our fundraising activities ,” he emphasized, adding: “We have promising initiatives and innovative projects; we need the resources to carry them out. It’s not just about infrastructure development, but also about the growth of our academic staff and research,” he affirmed.
With a message of hope and commitment, the Rector concluded his speech by inviting the university community to continue working with a broad and generous vision to consolidate the Universidad Austral“Let us remember, in the face of obstacles, that we have in our hands an exciting task: to forge fulfilling life projects, to enrich biographies; those of our students,” he concluded.
