Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Visit to the Universidad San Andres (University of St Andrew) in Buenos Aires

Here is a small university (total students: roughly two thousand, more or less evenly divided between the undergraduate and the postgraduate) with an extremely high standard.

They managed to get substantial donors before starting, and so attracted world-class Argentinian professors, offering salaries comparable to industry.

Interestingly, they search for exceptionally intelligent youngsters in poorer areas of the country and provide them special academic assistance so that they are not penalised when compared with bright youngesters who have had top quality secondary education, both academically and socially. When those from the poorer regions outperform their richer peers, the University offers them special recognition!

Most universities in this country don’t seem to have much space or sports facilities or even libraries.

By contrast, here there is a feeling of space, the buildings are generously proportioned and beautiful, the grounds well maintained, and San Andres has one of the biggest libraries in the country, with over 70,000 volumes.

I was particularly impressed with the work of their librarians who are systematically collecting and conserving old maps, manuscripts and books relating to Argentine history and literature.

No wonder that, academically, the University outperforms all the other universities (which are very much larger) in the social sciences, law, economics, humanities, mathematics and education. Sphere: Related Content

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