Esteban Zunino, who holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences, a master’s degree and a doctorate in Social and Human Sciences, as well as a postdoctoral degree in Social Sciences and a specialization in Human Rights and Critical Legal Studies, will assume a new role within the School of Communication: academic vice dean, with responsibilities related to the administration of the Dean’s Office and a focus on academic matters.
On the one hand, he will take on some of the Dean’s Office’s core responsibilities; in other words, he will “decentralize management to some extent.” On the other hand, in a role more focused on communication—the field from which he comes—he will concentrate on strengthening the academic programs of the School of Communication.
“I will be keeping an eye on curriculum reforms and updates, as well as scholarly output, such as the journal Inmediaciones de la Comunicación, supporting academic coordination efforts, and also taking on certain challenges, such as broadening the research perspective within the faculty,” Zunino said.
Focus on Research
Zunino’s goals upon joining ORT include increasing academic output, with a focus on innovation in publications, as well as other tasks related to academic and scientific development.
The new associate dean for academic affairs will seek to actively develop initiatives focused on students’ final projects and integrate them into new research teams, as well as identify potential new areas of research and plan for them in the medium term.
Research must always be considered from a medium- and long-term perspective.
“These days, a great deal of work is being done in many places on the concept of ‘nurseries’ or ‘incubators,’ where students themselves begin their final projects based on initiatives that could mark the start of a career in teaching or research, ”explained Zunino, who believes that this is the ideal time to discover scientific vocations.
He also emphasized the need to focus on producing data that can contribute to the public debate in a timely manner. “That’s pretty much what I do; I believe it’s a tangible product that can do its part to enhance ORT’s reputation,” explained the associate dean.
Extensive training
Although Esteban Zunino’s education extends beyond the field of communication—since he majored in the social sciences and humanities—his areas of study “have always been communication-related.”
“The field of communication is very broad, ever-changing, and cuts across other disciplines, ”he said.
"These days," he said, "we need to develop educational, research, and teaching projects that cut across other disciplines."
I will contribute from the perspective of the social sciences, but I can’t think in isolation; we need to build interdisciplinary networks.
Despite having a distinctly academic background focused on teaching and research, he takes on a role that “involves a great deal of management.”
High academic rigor
Zunino said that his first contact with Universidad ORT Uruguay in 2017, when he published an article in *Inmediaciones de la Comunicación*.
“If there’s one thing that impresses me about ORT, it’s the seriousness with which they work: one of the first things I noticed were all the curricula and degree programs—I was genuinely pleasantly surprised. Everything is very well-founded, with a high level of academic rigor and constantly updated,” he said.
“My challenges are, first, to join a team that plays in the big leagues and plays well. In addition, I want to try to contribute to ORT all my knowledge of the field and the relationships I’ve built over my nearly 20-year academic career, ”he added.
A long history
Esteban Zunino holds a Ph.D. (2016) and a Master’s degree in Social and Human Sciences (2014) from the National University of Quilmes (Argentina), as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences (2010) from the University of Buenos Aires (Argentina).
has postdoctoral degree in Social Sciences (2017) from the National University of Córdoba (Argentina) and a specialization in Human Rights and Critical Legal Studies (2018) from the Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO).
He currently resides in Mendoza, where he teaches at the National University of Cuyo. He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses at various universities in Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, and Uruguay.
He is an associate researcher at Argentina's National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), which he joined in 2018 as an assistant researcher.
He directs the Media Observatory at the National University of Cuyo. He served as vice president of the Argentine Federation of Social Communication Programs (2014–2018) and currently serves on its executive committee.
He served as director for the Southern Cone region of the Latin American Federation of Schools of Social Communication (FELAFACS) and currently edits the journal *Diálogos* for that same institution.
He has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals and has conducted various scientific research projects in several countries in the region.
He has published books and contributed chapters to various academic publications. He serves on the editorial boards of academic journals and has served as a reviewer for scientific journals. He is a regular participant in conferences and symposia related to communication.
Esteban Zunino will assume the position of academic vice dean of the School of Communication on February 1, 2024.