Improvement of the quality of life* at the Austro- Ecuatoriano

1. Improvement of the quality of life* at the Austro-Ecuatoriano IUCwithUniversidad de Cuenca, Ecuador Leuven, June 2014 * National plan “buen vivir”

2. Ecuador map Andean Ecuador • (independence 1830) • High biodiversity • (Coast, Andes, Amazon) • Mixed ethnics(Indian, Spanish, African) • Emigration • (workforce in USA, Spain, Italy) Coastal Amazon Presentation UCuenca

3. Starting point (July 2007) Universidad de Cuenca = teaching university • Secondoldestuniversity in Ecuador (1867) • Teachinginstitution(paidbyhour of teaching; 13000 students) • Mainlypart-timeteachers(70% are professionals whoteachpart-time; 700 academicstaffwith 30% ♀) • Tradition of service to society, art and culture • Limited number of PhD-holdersby research (+/-20) Change to teaching based on active research

4. Polictical situation in Ecuador • Democratically elected President Rafael Correa started 15 Jan 2007, re-elected 2009 & 2013 • “Christian left”, a lot of change byimposed decisions • Growth thanks to petrol and migration remittances • Continuous changes in ministries and services • Increased spending to social & infrastructure projects • Very interesting period of changes towards better quality of life and more equality

5. Challengefor all Ecuadorianuniversities • Anew law for education (approved October 2010 ) • Centralization of university accounts (loss of autonomy+ central bank) • Higher quality by more PhD’s ( 60% with PhD in 7 years) => impossible • Full time professors (40 hours/week) => end of the part-time professor combining (a) professional job(s) • Escalafon(salary/promotion scale) • PhD from a SENESCYT recognized university, web-of-science papers • 4 new state universities + closing of the worst universities • Difficult relation between universities and government

6. IUC UcuencaImprovement of the quality of life in the Austro-Ecuatoriano Transversal project (1) • Institutional change to strengthen research and education Vertical Research projects (6) • Food, nutrition and health • Human sexuality • Integrated water quality management • Characterization of medicinal plants • City conservation and planning • Migration and local development

7. Transversal program • Classical activities with Library, ICT, human resources support, teaching improvement, scientific writing workshops… • Vanguardiaprogram aimed at best students • Objective: Creating a pool towards future research-professors with PhD => 10 year plan to increase # of PhD’s <> 7 year 60% target by government • Opportunities: Senescyt scholarships (3000) for training future academics abroad • Honours programme with the best students in last and forelast year of every curriculum => Motivate the young talent towards academic research career

8. Vanguardia Approach 1. Top students in a Honours Program of 25 ECTS during the penultimate (8 ECTS) and ultimate (17 ECTS) year of their undergraduate studies 2. Improve English for admission at top universities (level C1) & to be part of the international academic environment 3. Training in the scientific research methodology (14 ECTS) 4. First exposure to research by a a research paper (5 ECTS) 5. Coach them for scholarship application to graduate programs abroad, to obtain Senescyt (and other) funding 6. Reintegration upon graduation into the university by asking faculties to formulate research lines

9. Implementation of Vanguardia • University-wide for all faculties at UCuenca • Different degree of development of faculties (human sciences more need than biomedical and science and technology) • Integration of credits within the curricula • Blended learning with video-lectures and local coaches • Development of research culture within teaching

10. IUC UcuencaImprovement of the quality of life in the Austro-Ecuatoriano Vertical Research projects (6) • Food, nutrition and health • Human sexuality • Integrated water quality management • Characterization of medicinal plants • City conservation and planning • Migration and local development Transversal project (1) • Institutional change to strengthen research and education

11. Cuenca Urban environment CITY CONSERVATION AND PLANNING Migration and local Development Human sexuality City preservation

12. Azuay Rural environment Food, nutrition and health Integrated Water Quality Management Medicinal plants

13. DOCUMENTS AND GEOREFERENCING SYSTEM (GIS) Historical photographies LAYERS City preservation REFERENCE SYSTEM AND METODOLOGY FOR ESTABLISHING THE DAMAGE LEVELS AND PLANNING PREVENTIVE CONSERVATION 1.978 Current photographies 2.008 RESTITUTION Image Rectification Georeferencing LEVEL OR RISK = Threat x Vulnerability • Deck • Courtyard • Terrace • Roof • Garden Personal Geodatabase Polygon ANALYSIS • Trees • Fountain Point

14. Worldheritage City PreservationManagement (vlirCPM) PreventiveConservation and MonitoringSystem Heritage as a Resource: Methodology HistoricUrbanlandscape: MethodologyfortheAnalysis Heritage as a Resource: ResearchLab. A Master ProgramisOngoing Bibliograph, local documentationresearch & workshops. San Roque 2014: 23 housesmantained. Lab & equipmentinstalation has beenconcludedon 2014. Bibliography & local documentationresearch. I Cohorte: 30 Students 20 Professors.

15. Sex education, including prevention of sexual violence- is studied in different contexts. Socio-cultural factors are being analyzed Sex Education: Working with local authorities and schools Violence prevention: capacity building training for local experts

16. International Migration and Local Development * Surveys designed and implemented in the school population of the communities of Sigsig and Biblian to analyse the psychological wellbeing of children * Use of GIS for the implementation of census in Sigsig and Biblian as a mechanism for monitoring migration impact * Studies on the impact of remittances and migration on human capital and entrepreneurship activities of returnees

17. Infant study Adolescent study Nutrion, Food and Health Baseline study Interventionstudy (?) Baseline study Interventionstudy Breastfeeding Complementaryfoods Anthropometry Foodsafety (mycotoxins) Foodconsumption Physicalactivity Anthropometry Bloodanalysis Qualitativeaspects 1 PhD (Cuenca) 1 PhD (Cuenca) 1 PhD (Ghent)

18. Water quality in contrasting watersheds • (Santa Ana de los cuatro ríos de Cuenca) • Paramo “natural” ecosystem • Pastures, crops and human activities Water Quality: E.g. Tarqui basin

19. Pharmacological characterization of medicinal plants • EXPLORING USE OF MEDICINAL PLANTS FOR FOR THE TREATMENT OF GASTROINTESTINAL (GI) PROBLEMS • Current challenges: • Zebra-fish as testing technology • characterization of active extracts by HPLC

20. Management of an IUC • Complex programme but good support by ICOS (international office) and PSU (local office) • Specific for Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia… some familiarity with Latin American culture is useful • Our ICOS is better as compared to other Flemish universities • Troublesome combined and contradictory burocracy for financial management • VLIR regulations, financial offices KU Leuven and Ucuenca • Other Flemish universities are better at support during difficult periods