Alberto Taquini
Encyclopedia
Alberto Carlos Taquini is an Argentine biochemist and academic whose "Taquini Plan
" resulted in the decentralization of Argentina's public university system
.
to Haydée Azumendi and Alberto Carlos Taquini
, a renowned cardiologist. He married María Martha Bosch, and the couple had one daughter.
He enrolled at the University of Buenos Aires
and earned an MD
, and began his career as a teaching assistant for Dr. Bernardo Houssay
, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
in 1946. He taught at his alma mater as a full-time professor of Human Physiology
, and worked alongside his father at the latter's Institute of Cardiology Research from 1954 to 1966. He was a research fellow at the University of Michigan
in 1959, at the University of Ghent in 1960, and at the Argentine National Research Council (CONICET) from 1961, and was named Dean of the School of Pharmacy
and Biochemistry
. The elder Taquini served as Director of CONICET and as the first Secretary of State for Science and Technology of Argentina from 1968 to 1971. Taquini was appointed Chief of Staff during his father's tenure, and drafted a project to modernize and decentralize the nation's national university system, as well as to make new universities smaller and their curricula more appropriate to each province's economic needs.
Proposed at the Samay Huasi
mountain retreat during a November 1968 academic colloquium, the plan was drafted by Taquini, Dr. Sadi Rife, Dr. Enrique Urgoiti, and Marcelo Zapiola, and formally presented in May 1970. The proposed reforms were supported not only by those in academia, but also by the Argentine military and State Intelligence
, who felt that the 10 existing national universities (who among them taught 85% of the nation's 238,000 university students) had become too concentrated and were thus becoming conducive to student upheaval, including riots. The "Plan for the Creation of New Universities
" was thus signed into law by President Roberto Levingston (a former Intelligence Director) on November 9, 1970. The number of national universities expanded from 10 to 23 by 1973 (and to 47 by 2010), and though enrollment became less concentrated, the combined total at the universities of Buenos Aires
, Córdoba
, La Plata, or Rosario (traditionally the largest) rose from 150,000 in 1968 to 620,000 in 2006.
Taquini recounted the experience in Nuevas universidades para un nuevo país (New Universitied for a New Nation), published in 1972, and edited Ciencia e Investigación. He continued to teach at his alma mater as Dean of the School of Pharmacy and Physiology, and contributed a over 60 articles on hypertension
research in peer-reviewed journals. He served in the UNESCO
Commission of Experts on Science and Technology in 1981, and was later appointed President of the Province of Buenos Aires Scientific Research Commission. A complementary proposal to his 1970 reforms was proposed by Taquini in 1989. Calling for the creation of a system of national community college
s associated with each one's nearest national university, this new plan was included as Article 22 of the Higher Education Law signed by President Carlos Menem
in 1994.
Taquini received an honorary doctorate at the University of Córdoba in 2005. Remaining active in educational policy debates, he proposed implementing a form of the Bologna process
in the Argentine university system to standardize parameters for students, as well as to make their transfer from one school to the next less difficult. He also welcomed the prospect of the wider use of the iPad
in the classroom.
Taquini Plan
The Taquini Plan was a project for the restructuring of higher education in Argentina proposed by biochemist and academic Dr. Alberto Taquini in 1968...
" resulted in the decentralization of Argentina's public university system
Education in Argentina
Education in Argentina is a responsibility shared by the national government, the provinces and federal district and private institutions, though basic guidelines have historically been set by the Ministry of Education...
.
Life and work
Taquini was born in Buenos AiresBuenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
to Haydée Azumendi and Alberto Carlos Taquini
Alberto Carlos Taquini
Alberto Carlos Taquini was an Argentine cardiologist, clinical resarcher and academic.-Life and work:Taquini was born in Buenos Aires to Carlota Castiglioni and Alberto Taquini. He enrolled at the University of Buenos Aires, and graduated with a Medical Degree in 1929...
, a renowned cardiologist. He married María Martha Bosch, and the couple had one daughter.
He enrolled at the University of Buenos Aires
University of Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires is the largest university in Argentina and the largest university by enrollment in Latin America. Founded on August 12, 1821 in the city of Buenos Aires, it consists of 13 faculties, 6 hospitals, 10 museums and is linked to 4 high schools: Colegio Nacional de Buenos...
and earned an MD
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
, and began his career as a teaching assistant for Dr. Bernardo Houssay
Bernardo Houssay
-External links:* * . WhoNamedIt.* . Nobel Foundation....
, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine administered by the Nobel Foundation, is awarded once a year for outstanding discoveries in the field of life science and medicine. It is one of five Nobel Prizes established in 1895 by Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, in his will...
in 1946. He taught at his alma mater as a full-time professor of Human Physiology
Human physiology
Human physiology is the science of the mechanical, physical, bioelectrical, and biochemical functions of humans in good health, their organs, and the cells of which they are composed. Physiology focuses principally at the level of organs and systems...
, and worked alongside his father at the latter's Institute of Cardiology Research from 1954 to 1966. He was a research fellow at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1959, at the University of Ghent in 1960, and at the Argentine National Research Council (CONICET) from 1961, and was named Dean of the School of Pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
and Biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
. The elder Taquini served as Director of CONICET and as the first Secretary of State for Science and Technology of Argentina from 1968 to 1971. Taquini was appointed Chief of Staff during his father's tenure, and drafted a project to modernize and decentralize the nation's national university system, as well as to make new universities smaller and their curricula more appropriate to each province's economic needs.
Proposed at the Samay Huasi
Samay Huasi
Samay Huasi is a historic property in Argentina functioning as a both a vacation retreat, as well as a museum.-Overview:Located in Chilecito, a town located high in the Pampas Sierras of La Rioja Province, the property originally belonged to William Treloar, a British mining engineer who purchased...
mountain retreat during a November 1968 academic colloquium, the plan was drafted by Taquini, Dr. Sadi Rife, Dr. Enrique Urgoiti, and Marcelo Zapiola, and formally presented in May 1970. The proposed reforms were supported not only by those in academia, but also by the Argentine military and State Intelligence
Side
Side was an ancient Greek city in Anatolia, in the region of Pamphylia, in what is now Antalya province, on the southern Mediterranean coast of Turkey...
, who felt that the 10 existing national universities (who among them taught 85% of the nation's 238,000 university students) had become too concentrated and were thus becoming conducive to student upheaval, including riots. The "Plan for the Creation of New Universities
Taquini Plan
The Taquini Plan was a project for the restructuring of higher education in Argentina proposed by biochemist and academic Dr. Alberto Taquini in 1968...
" was thus signed into law by President Roberto Levingston (a former Intelligence Director) on November 9, 1970. The number of national universities expanded from 10 to 23 by 1973 (and to 47 by 2010), and though enrollment became less concentrated, the combined total at the universities of Buenos Aires
University of Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires is the largest university in Argentina and the largest university by enrollment in Latin America. Founded on August 12, 1821 in the city of Buenos Aires, it consists of 13 faculties, 6 hospitals, 10 museums and is linked to 4 high schools: Colegio Nacional de Buenos...
, Córdoba
University of Cordoba
The term University of Córdoba or Cordoba could refer to the following:* Cordoba University * National University of Córdoba * University of Cordoba * University of Córdoba...
, La Plata, or Rosario (traditionally the largest) rose from 150,000 in 1968 to 620,000 in 2006.
Taquini recounted the experience in Nuevas universidades para un nuevo país (New Universitied for a New Nation), published in 1972, and edited Ciencia e Investigación. He continued to teach at his alma mater as Dean of the School of Pharmacy and Physiology, and contributed a over 60 articles on hypertension
Hypertension
Hypertension or high blood pressure is a cardiac chronic medical condition in which the systemic arterial blood pressure is elevated. What that means is that the heart is having to work harder than it should to pump the blood around the body. Blood pressure involves two measurements, systolic and...
research in peer-reviewed journals. He served in the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
Commission of Experts on Science and Technology in 1981, and was later appointed President of the Province of Buenos Aires Scientific Research Commission. A complementary proposal to his 1970 reforms was proposed by Taquini in 1989. Calling for the creation of a system of national community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
s associated with each one's nearest national university, this new plan was included as Article 22 of the Higher Education Law signed by President Carlos Menem
Carlos Menem
Carlos Saúl Menem is an Argentine politician who was President of Argentina from 1989 to 1999. He is currently an Argentine National Senator for La Rioja Province.-Early life:...
in 1994.
Taquini received an honorary doctorate at the University of Córdoba in 2005. Remaining active in educational policy debates, he proposed implementing a form of the Bologna process
Bologna process
The purpose of the Bologna Process is the creation of the European Higher Education Area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe, in particular under the Lisbon Recognition Convention...
in the Argentine university system to standardize parameters for students, as well as to make their transfer from one school to the next less difficult. He also welcomed the prospect of the wider use of the iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
in the classroom.