Professors Andrea Yánez, from the Tourism program, and Mary Jovanna Rivadeneira, from the Auditing and Management Control program, took part in the 26th edition of the Experiential Classroom event, organized by Florida State University, the University of Notre Dame, the University of Tampa, and the University of Florida, and held at Florida State University in Tallahassee. The event brought together academics from around the world around the theme of entrepreneurship education, featuring talks on creativity, case-method teaching, innovative course design, and the future of entrepreneurship education, led by experts such as Michael Morris, Greg Fisher, Ray Smilor, and Donald F. Kuratko, among others.
The professors' participation was motivated by the opportunity to learn firsthand about the work of the University of Notre Dame on the Urban Poverty & Business Initiative (UPBI), a project that FCSH plans to implement starting in May 2027 as a community service project in the Distrito 100 area, an initiative aimed at transforming the Las Peñas campus into an innovation district connected to downtown Guayaquil.
As an outcome, FCSH is currently working on signing a cooperation agreement with the University of Notre Dame for the implementation of the UPBI project, which focuses on strengthening entrepreneurship in vulnerable urban communities. This agreement will strengthen the Faculty's ties with leading international institutions in entrepreneurship education and reinforce its commitment to social development through community service.
