La School of Politics, Government and International Relations of the Universidad Austral It celebrated its first ten years with an academic conference held on September 3rd in the Auditorium of IAE Business School. The central themes were democracy, human development, and geopolitics and geoeconomics in the 21st century.

The day's events were titled “Governing in the 21st Century: Democracy, Development and Global Order: Current Challenges and Debates”It was conceived as a space for pluralistic dialogue and reflection on national, regional, and global challenges. The opening of the day was led by alfonso santiagoDirector of the School of Government; and Gabriel Astarloa, dean of the Faculty of Law of the Universidad Austral.

In his speech, Santiago He highlighted the School's mission to "enrich students' lives so they can transform public life with a positive impact in Argentina and the region, becoming true agents of change." In this context, he emphasized that the dignity of the human person is the fundamental concept that inspires the entire School project and is the basis of all current political and legal systems.

For its part, Astarloa He congratulated the project's promoters and highlighted the relevance of the initiative given Argentina's "downward trajectory," explained in part by "the absence of sound and sustained state policies, and the low quality of the functioning of our institutions and public management" (Good (Video summary of the event with words from Alfonso Santiago).

From the academy, Astarloa He stressed the importance of continuing to work to "strengthen democratic institutions, promote modern federalism and promote transparency as a pillar against corruption and social inequality."

At another point during the day, the rector of the Universidad Austral, Julian RodriguezHe urged the audience to reflect and return to the fundamental questions. He emphasized the unalterable and non-negotiable value of the dignity and freedom of every human being, while expressing his hope that this reflection would inspire everyone to continue the task of educating and promoting responsible citizens.

Central themes of academic reflection

The day addressed three topics considered central to political science, government, and international relations.

In the first section, the discussion focused on “Democracy between resilience, stagnation and erosion”, The panel addressed the challenges facing every constitutional state governed by the rule of law. The session was moderated by Professor Fernando Ruiz and featured speakers such as Aníbal Pérez-Liñán (University of Notre Dame), María Victoria Murillo (Columbia University), Martín D'Alessandro (University of Buenos Aires), and Carlos Fara (International Association of Political Consultants - IAPC).

The second block analyzed the topic “Human Development: The State and Policies in the Face of Social TransformationThe event, in which participants analyzed the public policies most conducive to human development and the challenges they present in Argentina, was moderated by Professor Celina Cantú. Presentations were given by José Antonio Sanahuja (Complutense University of Madrid), Gustavo Béliz (former Minister of Justice and of the Interior), Agustín Schipani (University of San Andrés), and Victor Volman (Argentinians for Education).

Finally, the third block - called “Geopolitics and geoeconomics of the 21st century”– focused on the geopolitical tensions present in the world today and how these affect all aspects of life. Ambassador Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), provided a conferenceIn a speech recorded specifically for the occasion, he noted that the current international landscape is "highly volatile" with "abrupt and unexpected changes," and that the role of multilateralism and international organizations is "shaken, if not questioned." Federico Merke (University of San Andrés) and Francisco de Santibañes (Argentine Council for International Relations - CARI) also participated as guest speakers.

The day concluded with a closing conference by Oscar Oszlak, followed by a final panel that included Daniel Zovatto (Latam Strategic Consulting 360), Fernando Straface (Universidad Austral) and Paula Szenkman (CIPPEC).

Oscar Oszlak's lecture