Artists, intellectuals back Argentina's UNA after official's graduation claims

The National University of the Arts (UNA) has found strong backing from prominent artists and intellectuals following a public dispute with a government official. Alejandro Álvarez, the undersecretary for University Policies, claimed that only 82 students graduated from UNA in 2024. UNA authorities have vehemently denied this, releasing official figures showing 1,197 graduates across undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate levels in the same year. This data, according to the university, is verifiable through their internal system and available to the Ministry of Human Capital.

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In 2024, the UNA registered 1197 graduates in its undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate levels as recorded in Resolution of the Superior Council N°63/2026, approved on May 21, 2026.

The university's statement, signed by its rector, vice-rector, and deans, was co-endorsed by a notable list of cultural figures, including writers Pacho O’Donnell, Claudia Piñeiro, and Marcelo Gioffré. They argue that distorting educational statistics, especially amid issues with university funding laws, damages the public's understanding of universities' contributions. The UNA emphasizes its role not only in training artists but also in research, cultural production, knowledge transfer, and preparing professionals for the creative industries.

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Distorting that reality with false data, in the context of non-compliance with the University Financing Law, affects public perception of what national universities produce and contribute to the country.

According to the UNA, artistic education is a crucial investment, not a luxury. They assert that a society without artists and cultural professionals weakens its ability to self-reflect and envision future possibilities. The university exists because the Argentine state historically recognized the strategic importance of artistic training. UNA authorities expressed regret over the dissemination of false information, suggesting it was not a mere administrative error, and highlighted that artistic graduates create both symbolic value in the cultural field and economic value by generating employment and development.

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Artistic education is not a luxury or an expense, it is an investment that guarantees a human right.