On August 12th, the University Council, presided by Father Fransisco Sanchez, inspector of Salesians in Ecuador, named Father Juan Alcides Cardenas Tapia the new president of Universidad Politecnica Salesiana for the 2020 – 2025 period. 

Father Fransisco Sanchez first welcomed the members of the University Council and Father Marcelo Farfan, general coordinator of Higher Education Institutions (IUS). "Today we will name the new president of Universidad Politecnica Salesiana. I want to thank and acknowledge the members of the council for working alongside Father Javier Herran during 11 years in order to strengthen and position this university, seek academic excellence, educate with values, strengthen people's responsibility with society and give everyone equal opportunities to study", he stated.  

Outgoing president, Father Javier Herran, stated "Universidad Politecnica Salesiana is an intelligent ecosystem that progresses based on Don Bosco's identity, it is continuously developing and all its history has helped it become what it is today. Congratulations to Father Juan Cardenas for being named president of the university, surely his work will be done under the mantle of the Virgin Mary. I will remember you all."

Father Fransisco Sanchez then continued with the designation of Father Juan Cardenas as the new president of Universidad Politecnica Salesiana. "Today more than ever, we need to have faith in education and in our teaching activities. I want to tell teachers that it is important that we create and build a university that feels happy to welcome young people from popular social sectors, the poorest (…). 

"This should be our seal and our letter of introduction. Teachers with the ability to empathize with our students, the greatest purpose is to accompany and ensure that all students we meet on the first day are the ones who graduate. This will be the greatest indicator, above indexed publications and rankings; we are challenged to be teachers who work more to teach and build knowledge than to publish (and if we manage to do both teaching and publications, great job)"

Finally, Fr. Juan spoke about Solomon "who at the beginning of his reign made a pilgrimage to Gibeon to invoke his God. Now, I make Solomon's words my own and I ask God, « Give your servant a docile heart to judge your people, to discern between good and bad, teach me to listen so that I know how to govern your people. "May God grant me practical wisdom and make me feel safe with you, under the enormous mantle of the Virgin Mary that covers UPS and its students. "

Father Juan Cárdenas Tapia, UPS president