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| Photo courtesy of Alojargentina.com |
Situated on the eastern coast of South America between the Atlantic Ocean and the Andes Mountains, Argentina is a land of endless natural beauty and sophisticated and diverse culture. The eighth largest country in the world, Argentina borders Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Brazil and Uruguay. In the north, Argentina’s geography is dominated by tropical rainforests in the east and arid deserts in the west; 2485 miles to the south lies Argentina’s most southern region of Patagonia, famous for its national parks, glaciers and snow-capped mountains. The Patagonian coastline features an abundance of wildlife including sea lions, Magellanic penguins, flamingos and whales, making it an ideal setting for the study of environmental sciences. The central terrain is characterized by the fertile plains of the Pampas, an area which has become famous for the high-quality beef it exports around the world. “Gauchos” the solitary, independent ranch hands who traditionally herded cattle in the region have become folklore heroes as they embody both the Argentine love of horses and tenacious spirit.
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| Buenos Aires at night. Photo courtesy of Alojargentina.com |
Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina and home to nearly one-third of its citizens (12.4 million), lies at the confluence of the Rio de la Plata and the South Atlantic Ocean. Residents of Buenos Aires are proud to be known as porteños, or people of the port, connoting the key role the port city plays as a shipping, industrial and commercial hub for Argentina and the greater south-eastern region of South America. The highly competitive and rival sports clubs, both best known for their soccer teams, River Plate and Boca Juniors have launched the careers of football greats such as Diego Maradonna and Gabriel Batistuta. Argentines are also enthusiastic about polo and rugby, a testament the influence of the British and European immigrants to the country. Many Argentines, and especially those living in Buenos Aires, are of European descent.
Education in Argentina:
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| Photo courtesy of Alojargentina.com |
According to UNESCO, Argentina has the best level of education in Latin America, and one of the best of the world. Free public education extends through the university level, and public and private universities can be found in the capital cities of each province. The University of Buenos Aires is the premier public university in the country and has a rich intellectual heritage and long-standing commitment to using its resources for the public good. Although Argentina is rapidly recovering from recent economic difficulties, most public institutions are chronically under-funded; in the educational sector this has resulted in an increased number of teacher and student strikes. The higher education system is provided by national and private universities and institutions devoted to higher studies in the Fine Arts or to technical and professional studies, as well as teacher-training institutes. Universities are all autonomous in their admissions and decision-making. Private universities are autonomous, but their courses and programs must be recognized by the State and their statutes, and they may award degrees and qualifications that are valid nationally if recognized by the central government. Over the last decade, the number of private universities has increased considerably, in part due to an increased demand for higher education in the country.
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| Photo courtesy of Alojargentina.com |
Argentines still struggle with the legacy of the military dictatorship, which lasted from 1976 -1983, and was marred by political violence and the abduction and “disappearance” of thousands of political dissidents. Despite a turbulent history and the social and economic injustices of the past two decades, Argentines have responded with impressive movements of civic engagement, demanding accountability from their elected leaders. During the late 1990s Argentina experienced considerable economic growth and foreign investment, in part a result of unsustainable economic policies and an overvaluation of the Argentine peso. In December 2001, the banking system in Argentina plunged into crisis when the peso was devalued and Argentina defaulted on $155 billion in foreign loans. The economic crisis wiped out much of the savings of the middle class and resulted in several days of protests in the streets of Buenos Aires. The country’s economy has rebounded rapidly since then, attaining an impressive growth rate of about 8% since populist President Nestor Kirchner took office in 2003. In March 2005, Kirchner announced that the country’s debt had been successfully restructured.
The Argentina Fulbright Program celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 2006. Since the founding of the commission in 1956, over 4000 grants have been awarded to Argentine and U.S. scholars and students. The U.S. scholar program encourages scholars of all backgrounds in the areas of environmental sciences, science and technology, the social sciences and humanities.
CIES invites interested applicants to make use of the following links to complement their research into potential opportunities available in Argentina. Please also feel free to use the contact information to get in touch with CIES program personnel.
Argentina
http://www.fulbright.edu.ar/eng/index.asp
Extensive information on the Fulbright Program in Argentina.
U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina
http://usembassy.state.gov/buenosaires/
Official site of the U.S. Embassy in Argentina, with consular information, current news, and information on public affairs, with in-depth reports on political and economic issues.
Embassy of Argentina, Washington D.C.
http://www.embassyofargentina.us/
An in-depth site with extensive news, political and economic information and news archives.
Embassy World Website http://www.embassyworld.com/maps/Maps_Of_Argentina.html
Links to a variety of interactive maps of Argentina.
General Country Information
Argentina Ministry of Tourism
http://www.sectur.gov.ar/
Provides official government information on tourism in Argentina.
Lonely Planet
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/south_america/argentina/
Traveler’s information on Argentina including sections on events, activities, culture, and history.
World Travel Guide
http://www.wtgonline.com/data/arg/arg.asp
Travel information on sports, climate, business, health, as well as regional and city information.
U.S. Department of State
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/26516.htm
Background information on Argentina including political conditions, foreign relations, relations with the U.S., history, people, government, economy, and business.
General Information on Latin America
U.S. Department of State – The Americas
http://usinfo.state.gov/wh/
U.S. news, reports, and policy relating to the Americas. Also includes links to numerous Online journals.
Latin American Network Information Center
http://lanic.utexas.edu/
Comprehensive information about every aspect of Latin American life and culture, including specific information about the Dominican Republic.
University of Buenos Aires (UBA)
http://www.uba.ar/homepage.php
Catholic Univeristy of Argentina (UCA)
www.uca.edu.ar
Salvador University (USAL)
http://www.salvador.edu.ar/home/index.html
National University of La Plata (UNPL)
http://www.unlp.edu.ar/
Universia
http://www.universia.com.ar/ (In Spanish)
Portal for information on higher education in Argentina current events and information about public and private Argentine Universities.
Argentina University Link
http://univ.cc/search.php?dom=ar&key=&start=1
Extensive list of links to Argentine University home pages.
El Clarin Newspaper
www.clarin.com
La Nación Newspaper
www.lanacion.com
Página/12 Newspaper
www.pagina12.com.ar
Buenos Aires Herald, an English language daily
www.buenosairesherald.com
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