Diagnosis and Prospective Planning of the Education Career-UPS

The project addresses the decline in academic demand for the Education program at the Salesian Polytechnic University (UPS), driven by a decrease in religious vocations and shifts in the educational landscape. Faced with the need to modernize its curriculum, the research aims to conduct a comprehensive diagnosis of the training needs of seminarians, religious members, and laypeople involved in pastoral work and educational management in Ecuador. The methodology is qualitative, utilizing techniques such as data mining, interviews with formators, and focus groups with experts. The project will analyze the historical trajectory of the Education and Philosophy programs to identify institutional strengths and weaknesses in the face of 21st-century demands. As a result, the project expects to design strategic initiatives that allow UPS to position itself as a benchmark in educational and pastoral leadership training. The project seeks to ensure the program's sustainability by adapting it to virtual modalities and the contemporary demands of the Church, thereby ensuring its social and academic relevance within the national context.<br/><br/><b>Goal</b>: <br/>Reorient the educational program offerings at UPS through a prospective diagnosis that considers the current demands of the Ecuadorian Church and new technologies. The goal is to strengthen the academic offerings for seminarians, religious members, and committed laypeople.<br/><br/><b>Research lines</b>: <br/>Educational policies, teacher training and interculturality