CEDIA brings together 30 universities to identify the challenges facing research and innovation in Ecuador

Vice-chancellors and research officials from the country’s higher education institutions took part in two days of workshops to identify common needs and lay the foundations for solutions that will strengthen the management of R&D&I.

(Source: CEDIA) Thirty universities from Ecuador gathered at the Meeting of Vice-Chancellors for Research, organised by CEDIA on 31 August in Quito and on 1 September in Cuenca. Over the two days, representatives from higher education institutions across different regions shared their perspectives on the main challenges currently facing the management of research, development and innovation (R&D&I) in the country.

The Quito session brought together institutions from the north, whilst universities from the south took part in the Cuenca session. At both events, the discussion drew on each institution’s own experiences, with the aim of identifying shared challenges, reviewing priorities and discovering opportunities for collaboration.

2026 Vice-Rectors’ Meeting

Beyond simply assessing the current situation, the meeting aims to use these needs as a starting point for the collective development of a comprehensive agenda of solutions that addresses the challenges of university management of R&D&I.

The contributions gathered during the sessions will also help to guide and strengthen the benefits offered by CEDIA, ensuring that its capabilities, tools and initiatives respond in an increasingly relevant manner to the needs of higher education institutions and become an effective support for their research and innovation processes.

A network to drive shared solutions

Another key focus of the meeting was the strengthening of the Network of Vice-Rectors for Research, conceived as a permanent forum for coordination between institutions.

Through this network, CEDIA seeks to promote more active participation by research authorities, facilitate the exchange of experiences and create the conditions to identify opportunities, develop joint initiatives and tackle challenges that extend beyond any single university.

The Meeting of Vice-Chancellors for Research thus marks a new step towards a more coordinated approach to R&D&I management, in which the needs of the university system can be transformed into opportunities for collaboration and into solutions built upon the experience of its own stakeholders.