A 24-hour strike in Argentinian universities has marked the latest escalation in an ongoing dispute over what onlookers say is a higher education system on the brink of being “dismantled”.
Following on from industrial action earlier this year, Conadu (the National Federation of University Teachers) led the day-long disruption on 8 September to demand president Javier Milei comply with the country’s University Financing Law.
More than 65 of Argentina’s public universities and an estimated 2 million students were impacted by the standstill between the sector and the right-wing government.
For some time, Milei has attempted to veto the legislation, which would improve lecturers’ salaries and restore cancelled student scholarships. It was passed by Argentina’s National Congress in 2025, and Milei has been instructed by the judiciary to enact the bill, but has so far refused.
The president, who prior to his current role was known as an economist-turned-television personality, is pursuing stringent austerity measures out of his commitment to reducing government expenditure and opposing socialism.
