The proposal will last five years and will train professionals for the design, operation, and safety of nuclear facilities, in collaboration with CNEA, Nucleoeléctrica Argentina, Dioxitek, and INVAP
Moreover, the previous exclusivity of limited slots in other specialized institutions left a large number of applicants out each year.
To address this issue, the province of Córdoba was strategically chosen as the site for this expansion, as it already consolidates one of the most important scientific-technological and industrial hubs in the country.
In a compelling demonstration of the strategic direction the country has taken, the Government of Javier Milei, through a coordinated effort between the Ministry of Human Capital —via the Undersecretariat of University Policies—, the Nuclear Affairs Secretariat of the Nation, the National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA), and the National Technological University (UTN), officially launched the first degree in Nuclear Engineering in the province of Córdoba.
This great initiative is part of the Strengthening Program for Engineering and Strategic Careers in National Universities, a policy designed with a pragmatic focus on STEM careers that connect directly with key productive sectors and generators of genuine wealth, such as energy, mining, industry, and technology.
The historic presentation took place on Wednesday, August 13 at 11:00 hours, in the Ing. Héctor Aiassa Auditorium of the Córdoba Regional Faculty of UTN.
In this space, the authorities formally presented the innovative Nuclear Training Ecosystem, becoming the second academic option to study Nuclear Engineering throughout the Argentine Republic, joining the historic Balseiro Institute and marking the first concrete step in the expansion of nuclear training to national universities with a tradition in engineering.
This modern academic ecosystem is structured around three in-person specialized training paths:
Nuclear Engineering: A five-year undergraduate program focused on the design, operation, safety, and management of nuclear facilities.
Bachelor's Degree in Nuclear Facility Management: A four-year path focused on process management, maintenance, quality, and organization of plants and facilities.
University Technical Degree in Radiochemistry: A three-year technical degree aimed at training technicians specialized in laboratories, radiochemistry, and applications of ionizing radiation.
This ambitious academic initiative responds to the severe deficit of technical professionals inherited by the current administration. According to official statistics released by UTN Córdoba, the country graduates only an alarming number of 12 nuclear engineers per year, a totally insufficient amount to meet the real demand of the industry, technological projects, and national scientific organizations.
In the Córdoba territory, there is an already established ecosystem, which includes the CNEA —which operates the RA-0 Research Reactor at the National University of Córdoba—, the Embalse Nuclear Power Plant (belonging to Nucleoeléctrica Argentina), the uranium dioxide production plant of the company Dioxitek, and multiple centers specialized in nuclear medicine.
Thanks to this, students will be able to carry out their professional internships and access direct agreements with leading companies and organizations in the sector such as Embalse Nuclear Power Plant, Córdoba Atomic Center, Dioxitek, CONUAR, and INVAP.
The relaunch of this critical area aligns rigorously with the Guidelines of the Argentine Nuclear Policy. In this regard, the official statement issued by the Nuclear Affairs Secretariat was categorical about this new direction:
"The policy is clear: strengthen the nuclear training system that Argentina has built over decades and, at the same time, expand its scale by incorporating national universities with a tradition in engineering".
Additionally, the Strengthening Program promoted by the Government includes specific funding lines aimed at ensuring the retention and graduation of students, promoting pedagogical innovation, teacher training, and real linkage with the productive sector, to definitively reduce the gap between classrooms and the labor market.
Soon, the Ministry of Human Capital will open the respective call for funding this strategic higher education offer.
