The UNR Academic and Learning Department organized two training and reflection sessions that introduce the first steps toward implementing the Argentine University Credit System into the curriculum.

The work began after two days of work: a meeting with management teams, with broad participation from authorities and deans from the various faculties, and a subsequent awareness-raising meeting attended by more than 350 people, including faculty, students, graduates, and administrative staff.

Romina Pérez, Secretary of the Academic and Learning Department at UNR, stated that "Adapting our curricula to this is a task that cannot be reduced to a mere mathematical operation; rather, it offers us another opportunity to rethink our teaching practices, among other aspects, and to undertake a thorough and conscientious approach to our curricula. This analysis involves reflecting on class loads, content, and correlations, in addition to considering the volume of academic activity required of students and their actual trajectories."

Dr. Mónica Marquina* and Mr. Nicolás Reznik** accompanied these first instances of training and reflection. 

What is the Argentine University Credit System?

Marquina: “The Credit System is a tool that the University System agreed should begin implementing in all programs as a means to begin rethinking the curricula. While they have produced outstanding professionals over the years, they currently have some drawbacks. This is evident in the fact that students are taking much longer to graduate than the curricula state, which leads to a review of some issues regarding course loads.

 This system aims to make programs more realistic, to be more honest about the course loads, and to establish the content and knowledge truly required for graduation. In this sense, it allows us to calculate how to put together a training program that lasts a reasonable number of years, and that what the paperwork says is reality, and that students can graduate in a reasonable amount of time, at a time when young and old alike are planning their lives with very specific goals: finishing their degree and entering the workforce. Furthermore, there is often this perception that entering university involves a path with no clear end, so a well-thought-out Credit System could help resolve this as well. 

The implementation of the Argentine System of University Academic Credits (SACAU) marks a fundamental change in the way curricula are structured, moving from a measurement based on teaching hours to a system that values ​​the total time spent by students, according to Romina Pérez: “This process is not just a technical adjustment; it is a transformation that will impact curricular flexibility, student mobility, and the internationalization of studies. It will also allow us to narrow the gap between the theoretical and actual duration of programs, strengthen training pathways, facilitate coordination with previous pathways, and improve the graduation conditions for our students. Therefore, it is essential that not only authorities and teachers participate, but also students, since the concept of university credit directly impacts their training and professional development.”

The work initiated with these sessions will continue in virtual workshops held between March and June. They will be organized by program group: Health Sciences, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Basic and Applied Sciences. Each meeting will be led by a coordinator who will guide and support the development of activities aimed at converting the curricula of our University's various programs into SACAU-aligned programs. 

*Mónica Marquina She holds a PhD in Higher Education from the University of Palermo, is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Commission for Evaluation and Accreditation in Argentina (CONEAU), works as a professor in both undergraduate and graduate programs at different universities in the country, is a director of research projects and has written on a wide range of higher education topics, including quality assurance, the academic profession, internationalization, curriculum and different aspects of higher education reforms.

** Nicholas Reznik He is a specialist in educational policies (from FLACSO), and has written various academic publications on educational policies and institutional change.