Argentina

The University of San Carlos, the earliest Argentine higher education institution, was founded in 1613. First built as a novitiate of the Society of Jesus, it later became the National University of Cordoba, following its incorporation by the national government during the mid-19th century. In 1821—a decade after national independence—the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) was founded in the wealthiest city of the country. The UBA has continued to be the largest higher education institution and the model for other Argentine universities. By the late 1950s, only nine universities had been established, mostly located in the main cities around the country. All were funded by the national government and were formally autonomous.