10th International Seminar on Distance Education

UNR will host the meeting of the Argentine Distance Education University Network (RUEDA).

On November 19 and 20, the Universidad Nacional de Rosario will host the 10th International Seminar on Distance Education, organized by the Argentine Distance Education University Network (RUEDA), part of the National Interuniversity Council (CIN). Under the theme "Expanded Higher Education: Tensions, Challenges, and Emerging Issues," the meeting will be held in a hybrid format, with the aim of generating a space for debate, cooperation, and academic production around new educational scenarios mediated by technologies.

The seminar brings together experts, researchers, professors, students, and university system leaders interested in distance education, pedagogical innovation, and hybrid teaching approaches. Over the two days, topics such as hybridization of modalities, open educational resources and access to knowledge, institutional management, and student trajectories will be addressed.

“This is a historic event, given that RUEDA is celebrating 45 years as a network dedicated to distance education, and it will be the tenth international seminar held, with the endorsement of all the country's universities,” explained Griselda Guarnieri, director of the UNR Virtual Campus and a member of RUEDA's National Executive Committee.

The opening will be attended by Rector Franco Bartolacci, UNR Academic Secretary Carina Gerlero, CIN officials, and members of the RUEDA Executive Committee. 

The meeting will bring together people from all of the country's national universities.

Among the panelists and exhibitors are figures of recognized national and international careers such as Mariana Maggio (UBA), Fernanda Ozollo (UNCuyo), Roberto Igarza (UNR-CONEAU), María Elena Chan Núñez (Mexico), Paola Bongiovani (UNR), Ana Borgobello (UNR), Daniela da Costa Britto Pereira Lima (Brazil), Marina Kriscautzky Laxague (Mexico), Miriam Bidyerán (RID), Pedro Luis Figueroa (UPC), Claudia Lombardo (UBA), Marcela Chiarani (UNSL), Arturo Garduño Magaña (Mexico) and Víctor Ferracutti (REDIAB).

The meeting will include keynote panels, discussion panels, poster presentations, and discussion spaces on the main topics:

  • Pedagogical and technological innovation in distance education
  • Hybridization and convergence of teaching modalities
  • Open educational resources and access to knowledge
  • Institutional management and academic policies
  • Student trajectories

Guarnieri explained that the five pillars propose an in-depth discussion of the transformations that have emerged following the pandemic. “The first, on pedagogical and technological innovation, discusses new proposals and their adaptation to different contexts. It also includes topics such as the platformization of education, emerging technologies and pedagogies, and a central debate today: artificial intelligence, not only from its technical possibilities but also from the ethics of its use,” he noted.

Regarding the hybridization and convergence of modalities, he explained that it addresses hybrid models that combine in-person and virtual learning, transformations in teacher training, and the challenges of teaching in low-connectivity contexts.

Regarding the focus on open educational resources and access to knowledge, the Virtual Campus director highlighted the importance of developing freely accessible materials, along with discussions on intellectual property and digital repositories that democratize the results of university research.

The institutional management and academic policies axis will analyze quality assurance systems, management policies, and the digital maturity of universities, including the role of Institutional Distance Education Centers (CIED).

Finally, the section dedicated to student trajectories focuses on pedagogical and communicative support, and the tradition of inclusion and accessibility that characterizes distance education.

The selection of UNR as the host of this edition reaffirms its commitment to educational innovation and technology-mediated training. Through its Virtual Campus, the University promotes projects that foster accessibility, diverse career paths, and the inclusion of new audiences in higher education.

With over three decades of experience, RUEDA is comprised of public universities and colleges across the country that work collaboratively to analyze, design, and evaluate distance education strategies. Since its creation in 1990, the network has strengthened the academic quality of technology-mediated proposals, promoted research and teacher training, and generated federal meeting spaces.

Throughout its history, RUEDA has organized nine international seminars and one national seminar at various universities, including Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Mendoza, Tandil, Mar del Plata, Santa Fe, and Jujuy. This tenth meeting, declared of Municipal Interest by the Municipality of Rosario, will be an opportunity to share experiences and project new horizons for higher education in hybrid environments.

Further information: https://10seminariorueda.unt.edu.ar

Journalist: Gonzalo J. García / Photography: Camila Casero.