The Institutional Plan of the Universidad Nacional del Sur sets forth the Regional and International Projection of the University as an essential and strategic axis. The "Promotion of University insertion in internationalization and regional integration processes", through student and teacher exchange programs so that they may have access to other academic, professional, and cultural realities is the objective of the area of international cooperation and affairs.
Regarding student exchange, different student exchange programs with foreign universities, to promote the exchange of ideas and to allow candidates to become part of disciplinary breakthroughs and discussions in the different fields of knowledge have been recently promoted. Regarding professor exchange, the transfer of professors is promoted through exchange and scholarship programs. The Universidad Nacional del Sur promotes the subscription of agreements with organizations, governments, and institutions from very diverse countries in the world. In all cases, these are general agreements that set forth reciprocal exchange, cooperation, and assistance between the University and other organizations. Regarding International Scholarship Programs, the University offers general information on different scholarship programs granted by international institutions to its community and the general public.
Among the programs organized directly by the Universidad Nacional del Sur in order to promote technological and scientific activities, there are the Research Group Projects (PGI). Grants are given to projects of groups of trained and active researchers currently working at the UNS.
The Instituto Tecnológico del Sur was created on October 9, 1946, by Provincial Act No. 5051, and it began its activities under the academic dependence on the Universidad Nacional de La Plata. In 1947, the Nation and the province Buenos AiresFrente del Edificio de Alem signed an agreement stating that both would supply the funds for the operation and maintenance of the institute. On February 12, 1948, the incumbent president, Juan D. Perón, appointed Dr. Miguel López Francés as President of the University, who was in charge of adopting the necessary measures for the organization thereof. The official inauguration ceremony of the ITS was held on February 20, 1948. The category of University was granted in 1950; however, it was canceled in 1952, and it depended again on the Ministry of Economy of the Nation. The first graduate of the Institute was Engineer Nereo Roberto Parro, in 1953, who was natural of the town of Tornquist. In 1955, after the fall of Perón's government, Professor Pedro González Prieto was appointed auditor of the institute, and proceedings before the national government began for the institute to become a national university. After the studies carried out by an advisory committee appointed by the Executive Power, the creation of the Universidad Nacional del Sur was approved by decree-law No. 154, dated January 5, 1956.
That same year Professor Vicente Fatone was appointed Auditor President. Classes at the brand new institution began on April 1 of that same year. The UNS was the seventh national University created in the country, after the universities of Córdoba (1613), La Plata (1890), Tucumán (1912), Litoral (1919), and Cuyo (1939). The new institution organized its academic structure into Departments, instead of the traditional Schools. Departments have a smaller administrative structure and allow for knowledge flexibility and inter-disciplinarity. Thus, academic units do not have to create courses given at other departments for their careers, so that students can take them to the corresponding departments. The first Departments were Accountancy, Economics, Physics, Geology and Geography, Mathematics, Engineering, Humanities, and Chemistry. After just a month of its opening, two students who had begun their careers at the Institute, Jorge Laurent and David Tomás Prieto, took the exams for the last courses, thus becoming the first graduates in the institution. The first woman to obtain her degree at the UNS was Betty Kerlleñevich, from Bahía Blanca, one of the ITS founding students, who also obtained a degree in engineering.
The main university complex is located at Alem 1253, where most departments and laboratories operate as well as the Central Library. It is a large building that takes up more than a block, and at the front, there is a fountain with a sculpture by the artist Lola Mora. There are other buildings at the same premises: close to the one mentioned, Casa de la Cultura at the intersection of 12 de Octubre and San Juan streets, are the buildings for the Departments of Humanities, Economics, Geography and Tourism, and Administration Sciences.
In the area known as "Altos del Palihue," there is another complex where the Departments of Agronomy and Law are located. There, the University has several acres of land, in which the Escuela de Agricultura y Ganadería "Ing. Agr. Adolfo J. Zabala" is also located. The building located at Colon 80 corresponded initially to the headquarters of the Universidad Nacional del Sur. At present, the President's Office and its Secretariats are focused here, together with other administrative offices. At 925 is the Casa de la Cultura, a colonial mansion formerly the center of a prestigious villa. In this building, the General Secretariat of Communication and Culture organizes artistic and cultural activities. The University Foundation (FUNS) and Publishing House (EdiUNS) are also located there. The buildings located at 11 de Abril 445 are the Escuela Superior de Comercio, Escuela de EGB (Initial Level, Levels 1, 2, and 3), and Escuela Normal Superior.
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