Marcelo Fernández S.
Dean, Universidad Internacional del Ecuador (UIDE)
It took us around five years to be accepted into the main international academic circles. Yet, today we are among an elite class of higher education institutions in terms of quality, infrastructure, and surroundings. We are now a member of the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN), of which other member institutions include Oxford, Cambridge, the London School of Economics, Polytechnic of Milan, Yale, Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and the University of Cape Town. UIDE has a campus in Quito, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and we also have an extension on the Galápagos Islands. With 1,000 parking spaces near the entrance, our campus is free of congestion. As an institution we are highly committed to environmental sustainability. Our auditorium boasting unique architecture was built with recycled materials. We also have several ongoing initiatives to preserve the environment such as a fertilizer plant to generate electricity, and electric and solar cars.
Álvaro Trueba Barahona
Dean, Universidad Tecnológica Equinoccial (UTE)
The University was born as a technical institute to provide more freedom in terms of programs, courses, and activities. However, the institution evolved over the years into a technical university due, among other things, to student pressure. Our main goal has long been to be a leading technical institution in the higher education sector. Therefore, Universidad Tecnológica Equinoccial (UTE) was born in 1986 once the national authorities give us the green light; previously, it had been operating as a technical institute. Despite facing tough economic conditions over the years, we secured stable support and resources, especially through an Italian institution, allowing us to become a leading national institution. Over the years, we have expanded our activities and infrastructure, and one of the key moments was arrival in Santo Domingo, which presented many opportunities in the agribusiness, educational, and professional segments, contributing also to the development of the city and region.
Sergio Flores Marcias
Rector, Sergio Flores Marcias
When the doors first opened 55 years ago, the institution was a polytechnic institute that depended on the Ministry of Education, subsequently becoming a university. We started with an initial investment of $30 million in total—80% derived from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and 30% from the government—to build, equip, and train professors to launch Master’s programs. In 1991, ESPOL as it is known today was inaugurated. We started with an Earth science program and launched the electrical engineering program one year later; neither program existed elsewhere in Ecuador. The professionals in these areas were people working in Guayaquil who had graduated from the US or Europe. They were working as part-time professors in this program and boasted a diversity of backgrounds and experience gained from universities abroad.
Gabriel Rovayo
Director General, IDE Business School
Our institution was established in 1993 and we started with a high-profile business management course for CEOs, which attracted the leaders of the main companies in Ecuador. Over the years, we have specialized in training professionals and people, as our education offers value, too. Since 2006, we rank among as the top-20 Latin American business schools, and the top business school in Ecuador; we prepare the future business leaders of Ecuador and the entire region. We put huge emphasis on social responsibility, ethics, and making Ecuador and its leaders a more attractive investment proposition for foreign investors. Over the years, we have expanded our course portfolio and extracurricular activities in order to broaden the scope of activity of the institution. Today, IDE Business School’s brand and its academic staff are highly recognized in the entire region. Therefore, we have positively contributed to the development of Ecuador and its business sector for two decades now.
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