Welcome

National University of Lanús is a public institution which has been providing higher education since 1995. It stands out from other academic institutions due to its ability of linking the town of Buenos Aires with the outskirts.

With its unsurpassable location just 30 minutes away from downtown Buenos Aires, the campus of the National University of Lanús is one of the largest green areas in the region and it allows students to experience a much wider contrast of the country where European and Latin American roots merge in order to study different courses.

This environment enables students to combine activities in downtown Buenos Aires with the quietness and safety of the University willing to accomplish a successful international student exchange program.

Staff and international students on a group photo after a farewell party at the end of the academic term

What is UNLa?

Our university is part of an ambitious national education project aimed at promoting quality academic offer. The project seeks to foster higher education in the suburbs of Buenos Aires allowing more people to get involved with the university’s community. Thus, its foundation enabled to improve the local area where the campus was recently set. As a result, our university currently has 14.000 students and is still increasing in numbers.

It combines academic excellence with individual assistance all in a green-friendly environment so students can make the most of their experience in Buenos Aires.

Moreover, the university has been developing good relationships with students and their families in the local area with the aim of identifying family-friendly lodgings that can host local and international students.

The result is an entire community working towards successful international exchange programs, in which students, families and the academic staff all contribute to enrich the university’s life.

Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Argentina is a vast country that offers tourists a huge variety of contrasts, flavours and senses. This country has a wide range of climates and landscapes extended along the mythic Andes mountain chain. Its people, local mores, and culture reflect both Latin-American and European influences that result in a unique mixture. The city of Buenos Aires, located on the banks of the famous River Plate, is undoubtedly the big cosmopolitan entrance to South America. It is a metropolis with boundless energy combining tradition and innovation in its architecture, fashion and art.

Rounded by its legendary pampas, Buenos Aires gives room to a third of the 40 million Argentineans. Those who decide to study in Buenos Aires will also be able to experience the city: tour its elegant streets and avenues with Parisian 19th century-architectural style, get to know its neighborhoods and suburbs where all the identities are linked with some national passion such as tango, soccer and politics.

Why UNLa in your academic path?

Boost your CV by joining one of the most vibrant study abroad programs in Argentina.

Experience the university’s friendly environment through its large green campus and make the most of the popular Argentine sunshine.

Acquire an insight of Latin America and Argentina in your chosen discipline.

Learn and improve your Spanish by staying with host families who are members of the university’s community.

Combine the quietness of our premises with the hectic pace of Buenos Aires so you can balance yourself your studies with leisure.

Local students from the Pre-Med and Community Service Department

Our Program

The Program seeks to provide a broad knowledge towards the understanding of Latin American problems through different disciplines such as History, Public Health, Arts, Economy, Human Rights, Social Movements, Environment, Education and Tango.

The courses are taught in English and designed for those who want to pursue first-hand information on Latin America and Argentine topics.

The Academic program stands out from other study abroad programs as our local students become from different backgrounds allowing international students to expose themselves to a real exchange program and to different realities of Argentina.

COURSES Description

Grassroots Organizations and Social ChangeDirector: Brenda Pereira

Professor Brenda Pereyra is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Buenos Aires' College of Social Sciences and has been a faculty member at our University for the past 18 years Ms. Pereyra was the recipient of the Linnus Palme scholarship to conduct research and teach at the University of Lund. While in Sweden, she participated in different courses teaching about social movements in Argentina and social work in Latin America.

The city of Lanús has been constructed through the work of grassroots organizations. Since the beginning of its history the urban development, the search for welfare and the main social changes have been done through an organized community. This has been a main resource used to overcome several crisis lived through history.

This course aims to analyze the different organizational repertoires used by the community to seek for welfare and fight for social change. Through the analysis of different case studies, the course seeks to debate upon the strengths and weaknesses of this type of organization and the ambivalent relationship with the government.

Latin American and the Caribbean Healthcare Systems: Strengths & Weaknesses. Views from the Public Healthcare SystemDirector: Hugo Spinelli

Professor Hugo Spinelli is PhD from the Medical College of University of Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil. He is currently Director of Doctorate course of Community Health and Head of the Masters Course in Epidemiology at our University. His research career includes being the main editor of Community Health Magazine since 2005 and Coordinator of Community Health Collection Book since 1993. He has also a vast teaching experience both locally and internationally.

The course is aimed at improving in the strengthening and scientific production of students coming from medical careers. Students will be exposed to the analysis of different healthcare systems in Latin America and thus, they will identify and compare strengths and weaknesses of each country´s system.

The analysis of the systems helps to understand the general features of healthcare and encourages students to research on a particular field related to medical issues. The course also seeks to provide students with a reflection towards the changes in the Latin American health care system of the past 20 years.

The University has strong links with local hospitals; hence students will expect to combine classroom learning with visits to healthcare institutions. Thereby, a visit to La Rioja province in the fourth week will contribute to the analysis of contrast between an urban healthcare program and a country-rural one, particularly in Argentina. Panorama of Latin American & Argentine Art

Director: Ruben Borré

Professor Ruben Borre has graduated from the School of Graphic Arts of University of Buenos Aires and holds a Master in Argentine Culture (1998). He is a distinguished painter, illustrator and sculptor and is the former President of the Argentina Society of Artists (1989-1991). As an Advisor for Cultural Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1990-1991) he managed to become a member of Mercosur Cultural Corridor Advisory Council. Currently, Mr. Borre is Advisor for our Academic Department of Visual Arts and a member of the Association of Art Zeromig partit per mig of Barcelona.

The course has been designed to offer a general view of Argentinean art since its birth taking into account its development in the Argentine and Latin American sociopolitical contexts.

The program goes through an historical path ranging from the viceroyalty to the traveling painters, all expressions of art manifestations which preceded the foundation of the nation-state. Classes are combined between classroom learning and guided visit to the Quinquela Martín Museum and the Bicentennial Museum to name a few. Students will also have the chance to visit art workshops of distinguished art celebrities such as Leo Vinci and Carlos Carmona.

The influences of immigration movements and their contributions towards Argentinean art in its modern history will also be explored. Moreover, students will analyze local art production under dictatorship processes. At the end, the course will cast light upon current art manifestations such as street art, particularly since the return of democracy in Argentina.

An academic approach to Human Rights from a Latin American perspectiveDirector: Ricardo Fava

Professor Ricardo Fava is Master's in Social Anthropology from the Institute of Economic and Social Development (IDES) and the Institute of Social Studies (IDAEs) of the National University of San Martín (UNSAM). He is currently Head of our Human Rights Centre "Eduardo Luis Duhalde". His research interests are related to the field of human rights, migration mbyá-Guarani and ethnography of the middle classes. He has published, with Pablo Ceriani Cernadas, “Migration Policies and Human Rights”, UNLa Publishing, 2009.

The course aims to introduce the main currently features, debates and challenges of human rights in the region and particularly in Argentina. Students will understand the importance of human rights in the contemporary world and in particular with regards to the consolidation of the Argentinean democracy.

Topics range from introducing the notion of human rights and its history in Latin America to gender and migration issues, always analyzed from a human right perspective. This wide range of topics helps to build up a comparative framework with other realities and social processes.

The University has a strong academic Center for Human Rights which has interesting links with human rights institutions across the country such as the ESMA (former clandestine detention center in Buenos Aires over the dictatorship process 1976-1983) and the Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo (Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo). Thus, the course combines classroom learning with visits to these institutions that help to acquire a broader knowledge when it comes to understanding Human Rights in Latin America.

Looking Inside the Argentine EconomyDirector: Guillermo Vitelli

Professor Guillermo Vitelli, is an economist and a researcher of the prestigious National Research Council (CONICET). He is also professor at Universidad de Buenos Aires and is former professor and researcher of the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, UK. His teaching experience includes the Colegio de Mexico, Universidad Autónoma de México, Universidad de la República de Montevideo; and Universidad Católica de Santiago de Chile.

The course seeks to review the recurrent Argentine economic crisis from the Second World War until now, particularly focused on the 1976-2000 period. In doing so, it will cast light upon the ups and downs in the economy during the military government and the return of democracy.

It will analyze the argentine economy from the macroeconomics perspective, taking into account the impacts of superpower economies such as Brazil, USA the Eurozone and Asia. In addition, students will acquire the tools to analyze and understand the transformations in Argentine society in the last 40 years and the impact that crisis have had on the country.

The course will explore the new ways of social economy such as cooperativism and the consequences of the agro-export dependence. Finally, the academic program will also encompass the importance of the regional blocks (Mercosur, Unasur) to the strengthening of economic development and the new economic and financial scenarios in the years to come.

Globalization and Higher Education: a perspective from Latin AmericaDirector: Pablo Beneitone

Professor Pablo Beneitone is currently a Ph.D. candidate at FLACSO – Buenos Aires. His research interests are related to the field of internationalization of higher education and convergence process. He has also a vast experience in managing international projects related to harmonization in higher education in different regions (Europe, Africa, Latin America). He participated in seminars, courses and workshops as speaker in more than 22 countries and has several publications in different languages.

In the current global knowledge society, higher education plays an important role. In the coming decade, higher education around the world will face enormous challenges.

The course will explore the developments which are unfolding globally and how these developments will affect higher education in Latin America and worldwide.

With the changing global economy and new pattern of global trade, “emerging” countries have received considerable attention in all sectors, including higher education and research collaboration. Certain countries such as Argentine have evolved from a status of “aid recipient” to more equitable partners, and other countries, such as Brazil, have demonstrated staggering growth in research output and governmental higher education investment.

The course will focus on the trends and challenges of higher education in the region: growth of the systems, quality assurance, regionalization, new pattern in development cooperation in higher education, etc.

Ecological risk assessment of contaminated environmentsDirector: Sandra Demichelis/ Maria Eugenia Garcia

Professor Garcia is PhD in Natural Science at La Plata University and currently professor of Ecology at UNLa. She has published several international articles and has participated in 45 international conferences. Dr. Garcia has also undertaken research projects in ecotoxicology and is currently leading the project “Environmental laboratory.”

The course seeks to review and to provide tools to understanding the impacts and risks of human development in the environment.

The evaluation of the presence of chemicals in water and sediments and their biogeochemistry will be the basis to introduce environmental toxicology, ecological hazards and risk assessment.

It will analyze the paradigms, and the existing methodology for evaluating water and sediment quality as well as eco-toxicological test as assessment tools.

In addition, students will acquire the knowhow to identify areas of uncertainty (toxicity of mixtures), identify appropriate and ecologically relevant assessment, identify useful endpoints, analyze needs in order to reduce uncertainty and understand process occurring in the environment.

Aquatic pollution biomarkersDirector: Maria Eugenia Garcia

The overall objective of this course is to introduce students to the basic principles and concepts of environmental toxicology with special emphasis on the study of the responses promoted by environmental stressors on biomarkers of pollution parameters in aquatic animals.

Students will acquire the tools to analyze and understand eco-toxicological models. This course will provide theoretical knowledge regarding routes of entry, transport mechanisms, transformation processes, interaction and exchange of contaminants between compartments (water, sediment and biota).

The course will explore the different physiological and biochemical processes, capturing pollutants, toxicity and detoxification mechanisms associated biomarker responses that occur in aquatic organisms.

Tango´s Lunfardo and cultural expressions in Buenos Aires Director: Dr. Oscar Conde

Professor Oscar Conde is a poet and an essayist. Member of the Academy of Lunfardo Porteña (Local Slang) He also holds a Ph.D in Literature. Professor Conde is currently professor of languages at UNLa and an expert of tango and argentine slang.

The course seeks to promote the main aspects of argentine art in both, the so called ´high culture´ as well as the ´popular culture´. In doing so, students will be able to redefine the notions of culture and identity.

The program aims to provide an overview of the Argentine´s culture, especially focused on cultural productions based on Buenos Aires and its outskirts, which cover the language (with a particular emphasis on the River Plate slang), the tango from its beginning to the present, and the imagination emerged from the poetry of tango songs and customs.

It will also provide a brief overview of the various arts: literature (poetry and fiction), visual arts, architecture and music in its various forms (classical, folk, rock).

Program in Detail

• Students can choose from one to two different short courses based on availability at the time of enrolment.

• All students can combine their academic short course with a Spanish Language Course specially designed to improve their language skills. Students may also want to take a tailored made Spanish course for particular disciplines such as Health Care or Business.

• Buenos Aires is well-known for its cultural and European lifestyle, thus the program offers cultural activities and field trips organized by our local tourism students aimed at enhancing the exchange cultural experience.

• Our one-month program features around 2-3 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) of 40 hours each course which combines lectures and field trips. We are also flexible to develop tailor made short courses upon request.

• Optional Volunteer placement every Saturday taking place in our university as a part of a Community Project to support disadvantage kids.

• Classes are held three-four times a week and vary from 3 to 4 hours each class based on the particular course schedule. Thus, students may have some free afternoons to discover the city and experience cultural activities.

• On top of our daily support staff, we also provide a 24/7 coordinator who may assist students in any problem during their stay.

Our Rector receiving an academic award from Estela de Carlotto (Fundación Abuelas Plaza de Mayo) (Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo Foundation)

Our Academic Staff

The Program is designed and taught by PhD Professors with a vast experience in teaching and researching in different fields of studies. They have all been exposed to international education systems as most of them taught in overseas universities.

Requirements

• Current students of topics related with the offered subjects.

• Health Medical Insurance with International coverage.

• It is desirable to fulfill a minimum of two semesters of college-level Spanish or the equivalent.

Accommodation

Students are offered the chance to stay either at a traditional family homestay in order to experience with insights the Argentine culture or at a Residence Hall to make bond of friendship with both foreign and local students.

Both options are conveniently located within the university area and are carefully selected based on student needs.

HomestaysThe possibility of living a period of study and stay with a family will give an extra bonus to the student that will allow maximum enjoyment of the program as the host families open their homes and way of life. Breakfast and Dinner are included.

Residence HallThe chance to stay close with international students helps to create your own community within the campus. It represents a priceless experience for those who want to get involved with a typical student life.

Spanish Classes

Besides the academic course, the program seeks to encourage students to immerse themselves in the culture by improving their Spanish language in order to socialize with locals, particularly at the university.

Therefore, the university offers Spanish classes for those students who want to combine learning a foreign language with the chosen academic course, all in an open and flexible way of learning that has a clear academic approach and, at the same time, fits each student’s situation, expectations and needs.

The Spanish course mainly aims at using that language in real situations (personal, social, professional and academic environments) putting the emphasis on the communicative and functional approach.

This entails learning the language within a context of intensive exposure, therefore, from an integrating perspective that gathers all the necessary elements to learn Spanish quickly.

Cultural Activities

Students will also have the chance to visit places of interest which contributes to their cultural background.

The program combines lectures with several field trips and cultural activities which introduce students to different aspects of life and culture in Argentina. These activities are organized by our tourism academic team who also teaches different subjects within the university, particularly at the Tourism Undergraduate Course.

Therefore, day trips and other events will also help to introduce some of our locals with international students.

These are the following activities available based on student preferences:

• City tour through downtown Buenos Aires.

• Tango orchestra show and some lessons at a typical Milonga.

• Visit a traditional Argentinean country house, with activities such as horse-riding, gaucho show and “asado” (Argentinean barbeque).

• Visit a football stadium and have the chance to attend a local soccer game. We have close relationships with our local Premier League Club C.A. Lanús that recently finished up second in the argentine top league.

• Day trip to Tigre, well-known as a tourist attraction which allows students to experience boat and canoeing tours.

The university´s orchestra playing at UNLa Student leading a cultural activity in our Volunteerprogram during January.

Contact

29 de Septiembre 3901 – (1826) Remedios de Escalada – Buenos Aires

ArgentinaTel. (+54) 11 5533 5600 Ext 5736/5710

www.unla.edu.arstudyabroad@unla.edu.ar