Students and faculty from the University of Buenos Aires held open street classes and vigils on Sept. 16, 2024 [1].
These demonstrations served as a precursor to the third Federal University March [2]. The events highlight a growing conflict between Argentina's academic community and the executive branch over the sustainability of public higher education and healthcare.
The protests targeted the presidential veto of the University Financing Law and the Pediatric Health Emergency Law [2]. Participants also demonstrated against broader budgetary adjustments that they said threaten the quality of public education [1].
Academic activities moved from classrooms to the streets in various faculties of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) [2]. These open classes were scheduled to conclude by 12 p.m. on the day of the event [2].
Following the morning sessions, the academic community gathered in front of the National Congress in Buenos Aires [1]. The third Federal University March was scheduled to officially begin at 5 p.m. [2].
The mobilization brought together a diverse coalition of students and professors who said that the current budget cuts undermine the national university system [1]. By holding classes in public spaces, the university members aimed to visualize the social function of education before the larger march took place [2].
“Students and faculty from the University of Buenos Aires held open street classes and vigils”
The escalation of protests through 'open classes' signifies a strategic shift by UBA to move academic discourse into the public sphere. By linking the University Financing Law with the Pediatric Health Emergency Law, the movement is framing the budget cuts not merely as an educational issue, but as a broader systemic crisis affecting public welfare and state services in Argentina.
