The University of Buenos Aires (UBA) is a public research university in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was founded in 1821, making it the second oldest university in Argentina. It was established by a decree of the government of the Province of Buenos Aires, and was formally inaugurated with a ceremony held at San Ignacio's Church.
UBA was initially a small institution, with only a few faculties and departments. However, it quickly grew in size and importance, and by the end of the 19th century, it was one of the leading universities in Latin America.
UBA has played a major role in the development of Argentina's political, economic, and cultural life. Many of the country's most prominent leaders have been educated at UBA, including seven presidents, four Nobel Prize winners, and numerous writers, artists, and scientists.
UBA has also been a center of intellectual and political dissent. During the military dictatorship of 1976-1983, many UBA students and faculty members were persecuted and imprisoned. However, UBA remained a bastion of resistance to the regime, and it played a key role in the transition to democracy in 1983.
Today, UBA is a large and diverse institution, with over 300,000 students and 20,000 faculty members. It offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs in a variety of disciplines. UBA is also a major research center, and its faculty members have made significant contributions to many fields of knowledge. It has educated 17 Argentine presidents, produced four of the country's five Nobel Prize laureates, and is responsible for approximately 40% of the country's research output.
Based on the QS World University Rankings of 2023, University of Buenos Aires is positioned as the #67 top university in the world, which makes it the #1 top university in Argentina. The university's global rank is improved by 2 points from last year.