This initiative, coordinated by the UNR and the Municipality of Rosario, aims to connect graduates living abroad with advanced students from various disciplines.

This past Monday, December 29th, the Rosarinos por el Mundo (Rosario Natives Around the World) program held its year-end closing event at City Hall, bringing together over 100 residents of Rosario living abroad. During the gathering, which was led by Rector Franco Bartolacci and Mayor Pablo Javkin, the new Mentoring Program was presented.

The project aims to connect graduates living abroad with advanced students from different disciplines, promoting support and guidance to strengthen ties and help future generations build their academic and professional path.

The proposal is a mentoring space through virtual meetings, in which mentors from different parts of the world will accompany students in reflecting on their academic journey, the possibilities of professional insertion and the multiple fields of development of each discipline. 

The Rector of the National University of Rosario (UNR), Franco Bartolacci, explained that this initiative is very important for building relationships and strengthening the education of students in the final stages of their studies. “I want to express my gratitude for including us in this important initiative, which contributes to development and employment. The University has been developing numerous initiatives to connect with the region's productive sector and the needs of the job market, and this program is yet another one of those efforts.”

Mayor Pablo Javkin commented: “I invite you to take ownership of this program and this network, to contribute any ideas you see and believe might work here. We want more people to join this program.”

Graduates participating as mentors will play a key role in guiding, advising, and mentoring students. Students wishing to participate must have passed at least 70% of their courses and submit a letter of intent outlining their academic and professional interests.

Mentors will receive an honorary certification awarded by UNR, while students will be able to add this experience as a complement to their academic training.

The initiative arose from an idea by Martín Marro, a biotechnologist from Rosario based in Boston, within the framework of the Rosarinos por el Mundo program, and was developed jointly by the Graduate Directorate of the Academic and Learning Area of ​​the UNR and the Secretariat of Sports and Tourism of the Municipality of Rosario.

“We invite all young people to join this six-month external mentoring program, which requires one hour of instruction per month. It is designed to help them visualize the professional field, but also personal development skills such as leadership and teamwork,” commented Marro, who was connected live from Boston via video call.

The Mentoring Program is presented as a collective proposal that values ​​intergenerational solidarity and the commitment of the academic and professional community of Rosario, with the purpose of broadening the horizons of future generations of students. 

During the meeting, the program participants took part in a guided tour of the Palace of the Lions and the new refurbishment works of the building within the framework of the Tricentenary of the city.

In addition, recognition was given to 110 flag bearers of the city around the world who are currently living in countries on all five continents. 

In addition to Bartolacci and Javkin, the event was attended by Chief of Staff Rogelio Biazzi, Secretary of Sports and Tourism Alejandra Mattheus, General Director of Tourism Andrea Nisnevich, and UNR Graduate Director Julián Zanón.

Journalist: Gonzalo J. García / Photography: Guillermo Buelga – Secretary of Sport and Tourism