The university signed a cooperation agreement with the "Asociación de Profesionales de la Educación", Education Professionals Association, (APE for its acronym in Spanish). 

This association was recently created as a legal person under private law, non-profit, made up of education professionals. Its purposes are to ensure the improvement, professional and human development of its associates, through its own management, academic programs and events sponsored by the Ecuadorian State, Foreign Institutions or Organizations for the benefit of Ecuadorian education.

The main objective of the agreement is to carry out joint actions for the development of scientific, technological and pedagogical transfer, such as the organization of scientific events, pre-professional practices, the exchange of publications and information, the participation in research projects, as well as other activities of mutual interest such as training, research and community engagement.

To meet the objectives, both institutions will develop student mobility processes, research projects, community engagement, joint publications and collaboration in academic, scientific, cultural and technological events, exchange of curricular methodological experiences, models of self-assessment, academic and administrative management and creation of knowledge networks and thematic networks in research projects of interest to both institutions.

Father Juan Cárdenas, UPS president, stressed that the agreement states that it is necessary to create a network and understand the educational system in a broad way, starting with basic education and thus overcome the cultural vice of university students to hold basic and secondary education responsible for gaps in education.

He also stated that "we need to honor the vocation of the teacher, the profession of teachers, aspects that will allow us to maintain the challenge of improving society."