UNR will complete the Annex with its own funds, adding 1500 square meters to ensure better working and learning conditions. In addition, it will carry out work on the main building that will allow for significant improvements.
Rector Franco Bartolacci announced new works for the Faculty of Dentistry of the Universidad Nacional de RosarioThese plans include the completion of the three floors of the Annex and renovations to the main building.
“I wanted to thank the entire School of Dentistry community for their support. If interesting things are happening at UNR, it's because there's a community that wants to make those things happen. Everyone is committed to making the University better,” the Rector commented, adding: “We seek to enable more and more people to attend the University, so that everyone has the opportunity to study at our institution.”
Bartolacci praised the work of Vice-Rector Darío Masía, who was also Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry. “In Darío, I found a great colleague and friend. My tenure over these six years would not have been the same without him and his total commitment to the public university. Something we will take with us the day our term ends is that everything we committed to in 2019, despite the circumstances, was done or is being done. I believe that vindicating public administration is only achieved through hard work. We had six very unique years, with a pandemic, a period of very strong inflation, and another period of underfunding. Despite that, we are experiencing one of the largest expansion processes in the history of our University.”
In recent years, numerous programs have been created and incorporated into the academic offering. The Faculty of Human Movement and Care Sciences was added, which will begin operating in 2026. The number of pre-university schools has doubled from three to seven. In addition, the virtual secondary school, the Trade School, and the program for seniors are being developed in all schools and faculties to recover and expand institutional spaces. "Never before has the University's presence in the south-central part of the province been so strong: today we have more than 90 UNR Points in operation," he emphasized.
Investment in infrastructure has been a pillar of the administration since its inception, encompassing both the restoration of assets and the construction of new spaces to strengthen study and work conditions at the university. “During our first term in office, the reactivation of the National University Infrastructure Program helped us make significant progress on major projects. We were able to include work on the Dentistry Annex, which was later halted due to the lack of continuity of that program. We spent a year and a half trying to restart the project with national officials, and it was finally confirmed that it would not be reactivated. Today, we can announce that, with our own funds, we will restart the work on the Annex Building, with a significant investment of 160 million pesos to complete it, and we will invest another 90 million to improve the conditions of other spaces in the School of Dentistry.”
For his part, Vice-Rector Darío Masía explained that the Dentistry Annex Building is a long-standing dream that began more than twenty years ago, and its near completion will allow the Faculty to expand. “It’s difficult to put into words what I feel today. The changes the Faculty has undergone in recent years are very evident, including the renovation of the front and how many of its spaces have changed. Being able to make this announcement today is very important; it’s a dream come true. It’s a great achievement for the Universidad Nacional de Rosario, the Rosario dental community and public education.”
The works include a remodeling of the main building, with major waterproofing and remodeling of the central courtyard, the dental emergency room, and the vice-dean's office. Waterproofing and cleaning work will also be carried out on the ninth floor to prevent future leaks, and joint sealing work will be performed on the nine floors on both the east and west facades.
The Annex Building will be completed on all three floors. On the first and second floors, the practical classrooms will be completed, equipped with the necessary services for dental chairs and support spaces. On the third floor, the Multipurpose Room, which can be divided using a sliding mobile panel system, will be completed.
“This building will soon be 60 years old, and like everything else, it must be maintained and adapted to current needs. We are going to carry out several projects to modernize and improve it,” emphasized Guillermo Bas, head of the Infrastructure Department. He added, “We made the decision to complete the Annex with our own funds. We couldn't begin work earlier due to legal issues, but we already have all the necessary permits. We will add almost 1500 square meters to the Faculty, which is very important, and we plan to open it by the middle of next year.”
The Dean of the Faculty, Claudia Lezcano, celebrated the launch of these projects and highlighted the benefits this expansion of training spaces will bring to professionals. “For us, this is an urgent need, and I want to thank the entire Faculty community because sometimes health doesn't wait; we see the efforts our faculty and professionals make every day. I also want to thank the University for always seeking ways to move forward, no matter the context. These new projects will bring many solutions and create better conditions for the training and practice of all members of our faculty.”
Journalist: Gonzalo J. García / Photographer: Camila Casero.