The UM School of Engineering participates in the opening of SSIG 2026 in Guatemala

With the presence of prominent international authorities, academics, experts, and a large group of fellows, the 18th consecutive edition of the South School on Internet Governance (SSIG 2026) was formally inaugurated. The event, held in the historic city of Antigua, features the active and strategic participation of the School of Engineering of the Universidad de Mendoza (UM)

During the opening ceremony, the dean of the UM School of Engineering, Osvaldo Marianetti, gave a speech in which he emphasized the importance of this space, now consolidated as one of the main global environments for advanced training in policies, architecture and governance of the digital ecosystem.

Strategic challenges and the role of Engineering

In her welcoming remarks, the highest authority of the School highlighted the current complex technological scenario: “We are meeting at a time when the region faces strategic challenges related to the resilience of critical infrastructure, systems interoperability, large-scale data management, cybersecurity, platform regulation, and the responsible incorporation of artificial intelligence in public and private services.”Given this situation, he emphasized that addressing these problems necessarily requires multidisciplinary approaches, updated regulatory frameworks, and robust technical capabilities.

He also highlighted the close relationship between the technical design of the network and the political decisions that impact citizens, a fundamental pillar in the UM's vision: “From the School of Engineering of the Universidad de Mendoza We understand that Internet governance cannot be separated from the engineering that supports it: the network architecture, the protocols that guarantee stability and scalability, the open standards that allow innovation, and the coordination mechanisms that ensure global, distributed, and reliable operation.”.

Commitment to Latin America and academic collaboration

The presence of Universidad de Mendoza The international program reflects an ongoing commitment to developing advanced capabilities. In this regard, the value of the Internet Governance School was highlighted for training professionals capable of integrating strictly technical aspects with legal, economic, and social dimensions—an integration that is essential for Latin America to strengthen its voice and participation in multilateral organizations where global policies are defined.

The dean also detailed how this international integration is directly linked to the postgraduate offerings of our institution: “Our presence in this program allows us to connect with a diploma program focused on the responsible management of emerging technologies and strengthen the training of scholarship recipients.”.

At the close of her address, the university official extended her gratitude to the organizers of the SSIG, the international experts, and the host country for the warm welcome. Finally, she encouraged the scholarship recipients to make the most of the intense academic week. “I invite you to delve deeper into the conceptual frameworks, analyze real-world cases, and build collaborative networks that will allow us to move towards a safer, more interoperable Internet that is aligned with the needs of our region.”.

With this outstanding participation, the School of Engineering of the Universidad de Mendoza It reaffirms its academic leadership and international projection, promoting debate and training on the most critical issues of the global technological future.