Article

Training processes in Ecuadorian universities and their link with society: keys to achieve the articulation of

substantive functions

Training processes in Ecuadorian universities and their link with society: keys to

achieve the articulation of substantive functions

Procesos formativos en universidades ecuatorianas y su vinculación con la sociedad: claves

para lograr la articulación de las funciones sustantivas

Processos de formação nas universidades equatorianas e as suas ligações com a sociedade:

chaves para alcançar a articulação de funções substantivas

Emma Yolanda Mendoza Vargas

Msc. Universidad Técnica Estatal de Quevedo, emendoza@uteq.edu.ec, https://orcid.org/0000-

0002-0220-4328

Byron Wladimir Oviedo Bayas

Ph.D. Quevedo State Technical University, emendoza@uteq.edu.ec, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-

5366-5917

Jefferson Xavier Bravo Salvatierra

Msc. Universidad Técnica Estatal de Quevedo, emendoza@uteq.edu.ec, https://orcid.org/0000-

0001-9566-3429

Magali Calero Lara

Msc. Universidad Técnica Estatal de Quevedo, emendoza@uteq.edu.ec, https://orcid.org/0000-

0002-0220-4328

Received March, 2021 - Approved July 2022

Revista Iberoamericana de la Educación

Vol - 6 No. 4, October - December 2022

e-ISSN: 2737-632x

Pgs 14-34

Abstract: At present, although the significance and advantages offered by the

linkage of universities with society are recognized, there is no delimitation of the

concept of linkage that favors an evaluation of its real impact and incidence on the

development of the people. The objective of this article is to describe the advances

that are visible in the programs of linkage with society in some universities of the

Ecuadorian nation. For this purpose, it is based on a qualitative and descriptive

research approach, based on the documentary bibliographic method. Different

concepts related to the term "linkage" were reviewed, as well as the way of

assuming and applying it in the main universities of the country. It is concluded

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Training processes in Ecuadorian universities and their link with society: keys to achieve the articulation of

substantive functions

that the universities of Ecuador show a high degree of commitment with the

programs and projects of intervention and relationship with communities and

business and governmental institutions with which they are linked.

Resumen: En la actualidad, si bien se reconoce el significado y las ventajas que

ofrece la vinculación de las Universidades con la sociedad, no existe una

delimitación del concepto de vinculación que favorezca a una evaluación sobre su

real impacto e incidencia en el desarrollo de los pueblos. El presente artículo tiene

como objetivo, describir los avances que se visibilizan en los programas de

vinculación con la sociedad de algunas universidades de la nación ecuatoriana. Para

ello, se parte de una investigación con enfoque cualitativo y de tipo descriptiva,

basada en el método bibliográfico documental. Se revisaron conceptos diversos

relacionados con el término de vinculación, así como la manera de asumirlo y

aplicarlo en las principales universidades del país. Se concluye que las

Universidades del Ecuador manifiestan un alto grado de compromiso con los

programas y proyectos de intervención y relación con comunidades e instituciones

empresariales y gubernamentales con las cuales se vincula.

Palabras clave: vinculación, sociedad, demanda social

Resumo: Actualmente, embora o significado e as vantagens oferecidas pela ligação

entre as universidades e a sociedade sejam reconhecidos, não existe uma definição

do conceito de ligação que favoreça uma avaliação do seu real impacto e incidência

sobre o desenvolvimento das pessoas. O objectivo deste artigo é descrever os

avanços que podem ser observados nos programas de ligação com a sociedade em

algumas universidades da nação equatoriana. Para tal, baseia-se numa abordagem de

pesquisa qualitativa e descritiva, baseada no método bibliográfico documental.

Foram revistos diferentes conceitos relacionados com o termo "ligação", bem como

a forma como este é assumido e aplicado nas principais universidades do país.

Conclui-se que as universidades do Equador demonstram um elevado grau de

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Training processes in Ecuadorian universities and their link with society: keys to achieve the articulation of

substantive functions

empenho nos programas e projectos de intervenção e na relação com as comunidades

e instituições empresariais e governamentais com as quais estão ligadas.

Palavras-chave: ligação, sociedade, procura social.

INTRODUCTION

The changing and complex social and economic context of countries has had

an undeniable impact on the development of universities, which are called

upon to respond to the needs of societies. In this sense, institutions of higher

education today assume three responsibilities or substantive functions, as they

are usually called: the training of professionals, research and links with

society.

It can be said that these three lines of work, in some way, settled as part of

the work of university centers since their origins; in turn, teaching, research

and university extension have varied and evolved until today. In the last two

decades, the influence of universities in local, regional, national and

international contexts has become much more noticeable, contributing to the

establishment of social dynamics, extending their services related to

knowledge, linking with economic enterprises and institutions, participating

in social transformations. (Paleari, Donina, & Meoli, 2015; Rueda, Acosta, &

Cueva, 2020)..

The social demand placed on the University has made its objectives more

complex, as well as the scope of the academic processes generated within the

institution. The quality of university centers is now not only measured by the

capacities and competencies that students develop until they graduate, but

also by other important indicators such as the impact of scientific and research

processes, as well as the changes that are observed in their context of

incidence. (Izaguirre & Chazi, 2021)..

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Training processes in Ecuadorian universities and their link with society: keys to achieve the articulation of

substantive functions

Precisely, the issue of the link with society has become relevant, because for

a long time the classist approach of the Universities established a break in

their relationship with the localities in which they were located. The

university centers did not seem to require the knowledge generated at the

social level, nor did the knowledge of the higher education institutions

transcend their walls. (Cerbino, 2020). However, at the end of the 20th

century, the need to respond to social demands began to be perceived, not

only by training professionals, but also by developing and applying scientific

studies, often of an empirical nature, which would eventually become social

projects or programs that would help the community. (Aparicio, Chininin, &

Toledo, 2017)..

The link with society on the part of Universities today takes on greater

importance due to the need for the production of knowledge through classes

and scientific work, skills and competencies acquired in classes and in

empirical trials to be put into practice in reality, so that those theoretical,

methodological, technical and didactic knowledge and skills developed by

students during professional training are perfected (Betancourt, Chuquirima,

Olaya, & Cedillo, 2018).

On the other hand, during that link with communities, localities, territories;

the professional in training has to be able to put into exercise the research

tools, such as designing, planning, following up on the processes in which

he/she participates, intervening and evaluating projects (Brito, Quezada, &

Rosa, 2018; Izaguirre & Chazi, 2021).. The work connected with social actors

usually requires students to be able to disseminate the knowledge acquired,

and thus provide solutions or recommendations to problems. Therefore, it is

affirmed that it is in the link with the community where the other axes of

Higher Education Institutions (HEI) are articulated: teaching and research.

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Training processes in Ecuadorian universities and their link with society: keys to achieve the articulation of

substantive functions

In this sense, Ecuador occupies, among Latin American countries, a

prominent place, thanks to the modifications that have been generated in the

country's legal framework to promote the articulation of teaching and research

through the relationship of university teachers and professionals in training

with society. One of the instruments that has favored the above is the

Reformatory Law of the Organic Law of Higher Education of 2018 (LOES

2018) in its Article 93, which expresses a new concept of quality much more

demanding, in that, it is measured according to the capacity of the institutions

to establish processes in the search for continuous improvement of the three

substantive functions: "oriented by relevance, inclusion, democratization of

access and equity, diversity, responsible autonomy, integrality, democracy,

knowledge production, dialogue of knowledge, and citizen values." (National

Assembly, 2018).

Article 125 (LOES 2018) indicates the importance of promoting programs

and courses of linkage with society, in which not only university professors

should be involved, but also students in training. It is important to point out

the inter-institutional nature of the relationships that can be established

between the HEIs themselves, as stated in Article 138. This means that the

social projects developed by the universities can incorporate, in turn,

polytechnic schools and higher technical, technological, pedagogical, arts and

conservatories, both national and international, which offers a much more

transversal value to this type of project. (National Assembly, 2018).

Another of the instruments from which the present analysis is based is the

Regulations of the Academic Regimen (Higher Education Council,

2019)which expresses as one of its first objectives in Article 3 to become a

tool to articulate and strengthen research, teaching and links with society.

Following this idea, the Higher Education Council (2019) concludes in

Article 4 that:

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Training processes in Ecuadorian universities and their link with society: keys to achieve the articulation of

substantive functions

The linkage with society is articulated with the substantive function of

teaching, for the comprehensive training of students, complementing

theory with practice in the teaching-learning processes, promoting

spaces for experiential experience and critical reflection. It is articulated

with research, by making possible the identification of needs and the

formulation of questions that feed the lines, programs and research

projects; and, by promoting the social use of scientific knowledge and

knowledges. (Higher Education Council, 2019).

For this to be possible, throughout the text, several of the principles to be

considered within the articulation of the three substantive axes of the

Universities are defined, especially those concerning their link with society.

It is essential to respond to the needs of social transformation and citizen

participation in line with the philosophy of Good Living; to respect

interculturality, gender equality and other constitutional rights; to promote

multi-, inter- and trans-disciplinary knowledge; to integrate academic and

research networks, both national and international; to democratize knowledge

for the guarantee of rights and the reduction of inequalities; and finally, to

integrate procedures for knowledge management. (Higher Education Council,

2019). Based on these precepts, the link with social issues becomes

mandatory.

Ecuador has another instrument to regulate compliance with these objectives

and principles, the Model of External Evaluation of Universities, which

establishes three dimensions in which the impact of the link with society is

evaluated: Planning, Execution and Results. (CACES , 2019)This instrument

establishes three dimensions in which the impact of the linkage with society

is evaluated: Planning, Execution and Results.

Within the first stage, the governing organization of the evaluation of

universities in the country considers certain areas of incidence to be

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Training processes in Ecuadorian universities and their link with society: keys to achieve the articulation of

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determinant: community services, continuing education, network

management, cooperation and development, international relations,

dissemination and distribution of knowledge and provision of services, linked

to their academic domains. University extension actions should be governed

by the institutional mission, or, academic domains, with national, regional or

local plans, and the social, cultural and/or productive requirements of the

environment, under the coordination of responsible instances. Likewise, the

participation of students in these activities must be promoted. (CACES ,

2019).

For its part, one of the fundamental elements of the execution stage should be

the participation of both university stakeholders and the communities

involved or the companies and institutions with which the agreements are

established, as the case may be. In relation to the evaluation, it will be decisive

that the results of the programs or projects show solutions to the needs of the

environment; contribute to the teaching-learning process, to the development

of research lines and/or projects; contribute to the feedback of the academic

offer, and generate other programs and/or projects based on new identified

needs. (CACES , 2019).

Based on this legal framework, firm steps have been taken to achieve the

articulation of the three substantive functions with the objective of reflecting

and applying the work of HEIs in Ecuadorian society. However, there is still

a lack of unity, structure and consolidation leading to the systematized and

continuous practice of this axis. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to

describe the advances that are visible in the programs of linkage with society

in some universities of the Ecuadorian nation based on the appropriation of

the concept of linkage.

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Training processes in Ecuadorian universities and their link with society: keys to achieve the articulation of

substantive functions

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present study is based on a qualitative perspective, since the objective is

to carry out a detailed description of the practices of linkage with society that

have been generated in Ecuadorian universities. For this purpose, this work is

based on the documentary bibliographic method.

The research in terms of type and level of depth is descriptive. A search and

selection of the literature was made within the search engines of Ecuadorian

universities and indexed journals. Theoretical and empirical works related to

the topic of university extension work, its influence and repercussion in

Ecuadorian communities were reviewed. Finally, a reading of the web pages

of Ecuadorian universities was carried out in which the concepts and

programs of linkage developed particularly in these instances are expressed.

As a method of evaluation of the results, content analysis and comparative

analysis were used to, finally, expose at first, the theoretical discussion that

authors have developed on the link between universities and society since the

end of the twentieth century until the twenty-first century.

RESULTS

The relationship between university centers and communities has been called

in many ways throughout the history of HEIs. Two main categories can be

found in the literature: university extension and linkage with society, which

is a term that emerged only a decade ago. According to Martínez (1999)both

terminologies can adopt various meanings depending on the philosophy that

precedes the institution or the identity practices of the educational center.

For Menéndez (n.d)university extension refers to a communicative process

that is established between the communities and the university, in which the

latter acquires recognition from social actors, organizations, social

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Training processes in Ecuadorian universities and their link with society: keys to achieve the articulation of

substantive functions

institutions with which relationships and services are established. The groups

and entities recognize the importance of the knowledge transmitted by the

University and the most frequent incidence is in the cultural and social area.

The link with society, on the other hand, is interpreted beyond a cultural

relationship between university centers and communities. It consists of a

process of exchange and construction of knowledge and generation of

solutions from which the actors and the localities in which the universities

have an impact benefit not only from a socio-cultural point of view, but also

from an economic one. These processes become more complex, as they end

up enriching the academic programs for the training of professionals, as well

as scientific research, technological and cultural development.

The above contributes to greater social recognition of HEIs, demonstrates

institutional relevance, improves the image of the academy, and legitimizes

the positioning of intellectual and professional actors in the context they

serve. (Alcántar & Arcos, 2004).. It also generates the welfare of the socio-

territorial space that is intervened, through a set of innovative solutions to

social and environmental problems in favor of society; results that derive in

social innovation, a concept that, according to Mendoza, Boza & Oviedo

(2021) responds to the social demands that influence the process of social

interaction, aimed at improving human welfare.

As a third substantive function, the linkage with society is defined as that

process that enables the integration and articulation between the substantive

functions of teaching, research and extension of culture and services of the

University, so that it achieves a transformation of the socioeconomic context

in the territories of incidence. The way in which programs and projects are

implemented in the communities generally end up in the mutual benefit of the

HEIs and the localities. On the one hand, the universities test and update their

knowledge through its application in reality, while the communities benefit

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Training processes in Ecuadorian universities and their link with society: keys to achieve the articulation of

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from the professional work carried out by teachers and students in training

(Gould Bei, 1997; 2002).

The professional practice of Universities through the link with society is a

contribution to the continuous improvement of the centers, since

professionals in training test their knowledge in the same context where they

usually work when they graduate from the academic institution. According to

Simbaña (2020)According to Simbaña, university students take on active

learning based on strategies, methods and techniques that are adapted to

reality. Through this experience, students can consolidate the knowledge

acquired in classes with the knowledge of the communities, which reinforces

their social commitment.

According to Mendoza, Oviedo & Boza (2021), the link with society is

articulated with the substantive function of teaching, for the integral

formation of students, complementing theory with practice in the teaching-

learning processes, promoting spaces for experiential experience and critical

reflection; while, it is articulated with research, by enabling the identification

of needs and formulation of questions that feed the lines, programs and

research projects, and to promote the social use of scientific knowledge and

knowledge.

On the other hand, the instruments that are implemented during the

application of the projects and programs of linkage with the University also

imply the measurement, recording and evaluation of the real impact of the

teaching and research functions. The results in this sense make it possible to

determine the capacity of the Universities to provide solutions to the problems

of the context, whether curricular programs need to be updated, the

continuous training of teachers, as well as to declare the urgency and need to

promote certain lines of research.

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Training processes in Ecuadorian universities and their link with society: keys to achieve the articulation of

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It was difficult to find a unified definition of what it means to engage with

society. However, the common denominator objective is to solve problems

and implement programs and projects that have a positive impact on the

country and the world (Simbaña, 2015).

Barreno, Barreno and Olmedo (2018) point out that linkage is the strategy

that favors the university to exchange knowledge with its context and at the

same time coordinate its other functions of teaching, research and extension

of culture and services. It becomes a process where initiatives arise where the

academic institution can be linked to the productive and social sectors in

mutually beneficial actions, which favors its strategic positioning.

In this sense, the link with society requires the participation of relevant

academic programs or professional careers, oriented to be able to propose

solutions to society. This has implied a change in the institutional missions of

universities, which now propose defined objectives that, although they begin

with academic and research scopes, culminate with the purpose of having a

positive impact on society. (Fresan, 2004; Brito, Gordillo, & Quezada, 2016)..

For Viña, Sacoto and Landívar (2019)finally, the linkage has implied

transformations in university regulations, which translate into the provision

of processes, instances, delegations, instruments, technologies,

communications, investments, programming, methodologies, norms and

provisions that make possible the interaction with academic units, academic

offerings, actors, organizations and public and private institutions to organize

research and plan territorial and institutional development, articulated with

national, local and regional planning processes.

With respect to other Latin American countries, in terms of linkages,

Ecuador's legal framework has favored the concern of universities for social

problems and, likewise, for continuing to develop, adapt and update the axes

of teaching and research. To this end, one of the basic principles is to consider

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Training processes in Ecuadorian universities and their link with society: keys to achieve the articulation of

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the development needs of the communities in which the universities are

located.

It is important to mention that HEIs have assumed in different ways the

meaning of the linkage with society and, as a consequence, different

procedures are established within the programs and projects implemented in

the communities. As a result of the lack of unity of criteria regarding what

linkage means, if we review the work of the most relevant HEIs in Ecuador,

we can perceive the diversity of the ways of approaching this concept, as well

as the multiple methodologies and strategies and areas of incidence in which

they develop the linkage initiatives. (Basantes, 2020).

For its part, the University of the Armed Forces, with a long history of

engagement with society since 1922, states among its guidelines on

engagement (ESPE, 2022)with a long history of engagement with society

since 1922, declares among its guidelines on engagement the need to start

from the identification of those real capabilities of the University that allow

it to influence and serve in the communities. This university institution

expresses its linkage model through different modalities: programs, projects,

community service initiatives, provision of specialized services,

consultancies, continuing education, network management, cooperation and

development, dissemination and distribution of knowledge, which allow the

democratization of knowledge and the development of social innovation.

It has well defined objectives and scopes, for example, to induce

interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary programs and projects that allow the

development of social and productive sectors; to meet the demands identified

in society; to influence an attitudinal change to promote university social

responsibility in its activities; to get the support of communities to work

together in the construction of permanent solutions to their problems; to

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Training processes in Ecuadorian universities and their link with society: keys to achieve the articulation of

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democratize access to knowledge for the community to achieve

improvements in the quality of life. (ESPE, 2022).

However, despite this well-defined structure of the Outreach area, it is evident

that this Institute has little capacity to involve its staff and students in projects

with a broad and differentiated impact, contrary to the experience of the

National Polytechnic School and others in the country. Currently, ESPE only

implements a program to strengthen community service activities in marginal

urban and rural areas and priority groups. (ESPE, 2022).

The Central University of Ecuador (UCE, 2022) is another of the most

nationally recognized centers and also has a directorate in charge of linkage

management. The linkage with education, according to the Institute,

contributes to the comprehensive training of professionals with scientific

knowledge, social commitment and critical thinking through the

implementation of research/action, learning/knowledge transfer programs

and projects with the community and that contribute to improving the living

conditions of the population.

Almost twenty programs and projects are currently promoted by this institute,

focused on issues such as child and family health, socioeconomic

strengthening of various localities, artistic initiatives, improving the quality

of life of neighborhoods and cantons, tourism and heritage development,

intercultural and rural development, social work, among other services

expanded by the various territories of the province of Pichincha. (UCE,

2022).

The Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ, 2022) recognizes that, with

respect to teaching and research, the link with society is woven from the

articulating character of the previous substantive functions of the Institute.

Hence, it recognizes the importance of responding to the needs of society.

Today this Institute has experience developing almost a hundred projects per

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Training processes in Ecuadorian universities and their link with society: keys to achieve the articulation of

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school year, which is part of the teaching and research activities, with the

purpose of promoting local and regional development within the framework

of the Liberal Arts and professional ethics.

From the arts and culture sector, USFQ is linked to other areas of social and

economic impact: health and development; communications and

contemporary arts, education and cultural history; innovation and technology;

business and economics; architecture; justice and equity. Thus, it is linked to

artisans; farmers; children and adolescents; senior citizens; people with

chronic illnesses; museums and other cultural and artistic centers; it supports

social causes, environmental projects, community development; and the

integral health of different localities. (USFQ, 2022).

The University of Guayaquil also stands out. (UG, 2022)Among its statutes,

Article 4, paragraph C considers university extension as a platform to project

to the communities the knowledge derived from their careers and research

work to stimulate the manifestations of popular culture; to improve the

intellectual conditions of the sectors that have not had access to higher

education; to orient the communities to the problems that affect them; and to

provide services, technical advice and collaboration in plans and projects

aimed at improving the living conditions of the community.

The linkage model of this university center has the mission to promote social

responsibility, dissemination and return of academic, scientific and artistic

knowledge to society, from a focus on rights, equity and equality. To this end,

it tries to comply with criteria such as a duration of 1 to 3 years; generate the

participation of teachers and students with a project director; the different

programs can be articulated and if results are obtained, they can be replicated.

The University works all its initiatives through agreements with social and

economic institutions, starting from the definition of the work plan and the

activities to be executed. To date, it has worked on almost 50 programs or

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Training processes in Ecuadorian universities and their link with society: keys to achieve the articulation of

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projects in cooperation with these entities and has benefited approximately

344,579 people. (UG, 2022).

The particularity of this model is that it seeks to link students in training with

companies and institutions in which they could be incorporated to work in the

future. The University, far from making a random selection of its projects or

focusing solely on the needs of the communities, intervenes to guarantee the

professional development of its graduates.

The Universidad Católica Santiago de Guayaquil (UCSG, 2022) has a vice

rector's office for outreach to society, which shows that it gives a hierarchical

place to the management of this substantive university function. The

educational center understands that outreach is "the activity or set of activities

that allow the institution to put at the service of society, especially the

vulnerable sectors, the knowledge that is developed and strengthened within

it" (p. 1). As a result of the management of linkage, the projects and actions

of this substantive function are nourished by the skills and competencies that

are being developed in the training process, contribute to the graduate profile

of the career, derive from previous research projects conducted by teams of

the institution and derive new research projects or degree works (LOES

2018).

This University is currently carrying out its projects and programs in rural

communities, professionalization initiatives for members of institutions;

cultural communication; work with children; health programs. It provides

services such as financial education-entrepreneurship and leadership; integral

and sustainable food and physical condition programs for the population;

legal advice; work with young entrepreneurs, community and business

development; among other topics.

For its part, the University of Cuenca, with a history of more than a century

of existence, is recognized for setting its vision on the philosophy of Good

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Training processes in Ecuadorian universities and their link with society: keys to achieve the articulation of

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Living. (UCUENCA, 2019)with a history of more than a century of existence,

is recognized for setting its vision in the philosophy of Good Living, which

implies involvement with projects for the development of the quality of life

of people. According to its educational model, the main purpose of its work

is based on comprehensive training that includes human and professional

academic development, building new knowledge, but above all generating

operational, educational, cognitive and social impacts, which should be the

guide to responsible management.

In this sense, the linkage with society is woven as an interactive process,

through which the university projects itself socially to intervene in the

solution of community problems, additionally generating practical and human

knowledge in professional training. At the initiative of its Directorate of

Outreach, it has consolidated the operation of several services through annual

calls for intervention in the areas of health, knowledge transfer, children and

adolescents, innovation and entrepreneurship, gender and violence,

community development, art and heritage, advisory services in a wide range

of social and productive activities, research, and recreation. (UCUENCA,

2019).

The National University of Chimborazo (UNACH, 2022) in recent years has

been determined to give much more impetus to the linkage axis. In this sense,

it has set several objectives: first, to contribute, through the academy, to the

social, productive and cultural development of communities, priority groups

and different social sectors, implemented in specific agreements or

agreements; and second, to regulate and guide the development of outreach

activities, cooperation and technical assistance of the University, aimed at the

public, private and community sectors, promoting the democratization and

dissemination of scientific knowledge and technologies, specific to university

activity, among social actors.

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Training processes in Ecuadorian universities and their link with society: keys to achieve the articulation of

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The programs that implement the linkage are divided into several social areas:

integral health; law; communications; integral development in social sectors;

education; tourism; territorial and economic development. Its model of

linkage is differentiated for each career, while, according to the professional

profile, a line of intervention is established in fields such as physical and

mathematical sciences; content and learning management; intervention in

social, public and productive sectors; technology management; cultural

projects; attention to special educational needs; strengthening of teaching-

learning processes; environmental education; among other projects.

The State Technical University of Quevedo (UTEQ), with respect to the link

with society, has the mission to promote the processes of university extension

in the economic, social, scientific and cultural aspects through the

socialization of its programs, thus benefiting the social actors, contributing to

improve their living conditions. The purpose is to assist social actors through

the generation of science, technology and socialization of tools used in

different areas in order to help Ecuadorian families to live well. The

knowledge and skills required by society have to do with computer skills,

management skills, the ability to analyze political, economic, social and

technological phenomena and, above all, the ability to learn, an ability that

must become a constant exercise for teachers and students.

One of the indispensable mechanisms in the exercise of the linkage is

cooperation, that is, the interaction between business, society and academia

as a means to achieve the productive social transformation that contributes to

the policy of good living. The execution of UTEQ's activities of linkage with

society are generated through linkage projects emanating from each of its

careers and contextualized to the professional competencies of each one of

them.

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Training processes in Ecuadorian universities and their link with society: keys to achieve the articulation of

substantive functions

As can be seen, the programs of linkage with society by the universities of Ecuador,

although they have features in common, assume a diversity of concepts regarding

what this substantive university function means to them, which depends on the

history and tradition of the institute, its philosophy and institutional mission, the

interests and capabilities of its teaching and research programs, as well as the

alliances it manages to establish with institutions, companies and

communities.

Ecuadorian HEIs have in common the desire to make their commitment to the

social visible, making visible from their own website the programs and

projects in which they are involved. This demonstrates the implications that

have been generated for Higher Education Institutes by both the Academic

Regime Regulations and the External Evaluation Model for Higher

Education. (Council on Higher Education, 2019) and the Model of External

Evaluation of Universities has generated for the Institutes of Higher

Education. (CACES , 2019).

The areas for improvement identified in this analysis lie, in the first place, in

the need to work on a unified concept of linkage by which the country's

universities are governed and which, without losing their identity and their

own management of the concept of linkage, work for a true articulation and

transversality among inter-institutional projects at the Higher Education level.

This would make it possible to replicate proposals that work and can be

applied in different contexts and thus increase the number of beneficiaries.

In relation to the above, almost none of the universities studied publicly share

the findings and results found in the fields of intervention, even though they

do have the calls for projects available to users, as well as the contact

information of the directors and managers of the projects. It is urgent to

socialize and democratize knowledge, as this would imply a greater scope and

impact of the link with societies.

Article

Training processes in Ecuadorian universities and their link with society: keys to achieve the articulation of

substantive functions

CONCLUSIONS

From the analysis carried out, it can be seen that there is a diversity of

concepts regarding the linkage with societies, its meaning, the way to

establish a model of actions and strategies, and to determine those responsible

for its management. As a consequence, there is no clear paradigm on how to

evaluate this area within the Universities, so that it meets the demands made

by social actors, society and even governments.

This implies a problem in two directions; on the one hand, for the University,

as its recognition of excellence depends on the values, solutions and

improvements it leaves in the communities in which it intervenes, it depends

on its capacity to contribute to the resolution of social problems and to

propose ways to improve the living conditions of the members of those

communities. As for the second direction, it has repercussions on societies,

because as long as there is no clear regulation of the level of incidence that

HEIs should have in the life of communities, the processes of improvement

of these entities and social groups, the long-term transformations, will depend

on the level of commitment of the Universities, on their capacities to intervene

in the social field, on the degree of follow-up that the university centers decide

to have. Certainly, declaring uniformity in the criteria and definitions of

linkage and how to carry it out is a very complex process, but establishing

certain accreditation standards for linkage would imply greater clarity in the

processes and the search for quality in the actions. This would be favorable

because these processes would not only depend on contextual decisions and

human subjectivities, but would be centered on the needs of the communities,

which certainly require a level of systematicity in the improvement proposals

in order to achieve a true transformation of society.

Article

Training processes in Ecuadorian universities and their link with society: keys to achieve the articulation of

substantive functions

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