Professors attended training meetings before starting the new semester

UPS, jueves 24 septiembre 2020
Father Juan Cárdenas, UPS president
Father Juan Cárdenas, UPS president

 

Professors from the university's campuses in Quito and Cuenca took part in the training sessions which were planned before starting the new semester. The overall aim is to seek the wellbeing of the entire university community, especially students. 
 
The meetings allowed participants to rethink educational practices through academic, research and community engagement activities in the face of the several difficulties caused by the pandemic. Additionally, professors updated their knowledge in methodologies and technologies to enhance teaching. 
 
UPS president Juan Cardenas suggested the following elements for the start of the new semester: 
 
- Self-education, research and the dissemination of research
 
- Pedagogical innovation
 
- Planning and evaluation that reflects our teaching model and not the demands of regulatory frameworks
 
- Participation in different aspects of academic management
 
- Availability to tutor students 
 
- Interest in strengthening academic relationships with other professors 
 
- Creating a collaborative working environment
 
- Team work, both in teaching and research
 
- Continuous updating of knowledge
 
- More horizontal and less vertical relationships with students 
 
- The challenge of each professor is to graduate students
 
Fernando Moscoso, vice president of our branch campus in Cuenca, presented some relevant information before starting a new semester. Father Marcelo Farfan, general coordinator of salesian institutions of higher education (IUS) spoke about the effects of the pandemic on education worldwide and encouraged professors to meet the demands of higher education.
 
Pablo Farfan, director of the distance and the virtual education department, presented statistical information about the use of the university's virtual learning environments. 
 
In the next few days, there were conferences on Methodologies and Evaluation, led by Angela Flores; as well as a talk to strengthen salesian identity, academic training and sustainability, led by professors Fernando Solorzano and Fredy Rivera. 
 
At the end of the meetings, Father Juan Cardenas said: "We have to continue building the university in adversity ... Despite everything, the amazing thing has been that, together, internal strengths and human greatness have come to light. From anthropological conviction and Christian personalism, today more than ever we are convinced that there is more in people than it seems.