Buenos Aires Herald 
The human capital ministry confirmed on Wednesday that the government and Argentine public universities had signed an agreement aimed at resolving the conflict over funding for the higher education system.
“The undersecretariat for university policies, the National Interuniversity Council (in Spanish, CIN), and the faculty and non-faculty labor unions hereby sign this agreement,” read the announcement on social media.
The agreement establishes a 24.33% salary adjustment for the university sector.
The deal was reached after the economy ministry authorized an allocation of AR$800 billion (US$571 million at the official exchange rate) to meet the commitments made to the university system.
The news comes after weeks of negotiations in a conflict marked by more than two years of demands, four massive federal university marches, many weeks of strikes, six congressional votes, school occupations, presidential vetoes, and a legal dispute that ultimately reached the Supreme Court.
A source with direct knowledge of the negotiations told the Herald that the lawsuit has not been withdrawn.
“The matter remains ongoing to ensure compliance with the law. However, the agreement recognizes everything that had been demanded in terms of salaries under the law,” the source explained
The source added that negotiations over pending issues like scholarships, operating expenses, and the restoration of 2024 funding levels remain ongoing.
According to CIN, salary deterioration led to the resignation of approximately 10,000 faculty members from national universities, one of the key issues raised by rectors and unions during negotiations.
Key points of the agreement
The agreement was signed by the human capital ministry and CIN rectors, led by its president, Franco Bartolacci (National University of Rosario), Anselmo Torres (National University of Río Negro), Alejandro Álvarez (Undersecretary for University Policies), along with university rectors and union representatives.
According to the official statement, the executive branch will transfer the funds necessary to increase the university payroll budget by 21.33% in June, based on the salary scales in effect as of May 2026.
There will be an additional 3% in October, based on the September salary scales. The parties also agreed that university collective bargaining negotiations will be convened at least every three months for the remainder of the year.
The agreement also includes a 20% increase in operating budgets for public universities beginning in June 2026, along with additional funding for sensitive areas of the system.
Under this framework, an extra AR$50 billion (US$35 million) will be allocated to university hospitals, in addition to the AR$80 billion (US$57 million) already earmarked for those healthcare centers.
The agreement further includes a 50% increase in Manuel Belgrano scholarships starting in June 2026. These scholarships are aimed at students pursuing university and tertiary-level programs linked to strategic fields.
In addition, the ministry of human capital reported that training funds for faculty and non-faculty unions will be guaranteed. It also stated that national universities will be required to account for the use of allocated funds in accordance with existing legislation.
