VLIR INSTITUTIONAL UNIVERSITY COOPERATION (IUC) - Network BIODEV Ecuador: development of a research-based joint master program in

IMPROVEMENT OF THE ECUADORIAN ACADEMIC CAPACITY ON BIODISCOVERY AND WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

The specific academic objective of the project is a research-based joint Master's program in bio-discovery developed. The development of a research-based joint master program in biodiversity will increase the understanding of biodiversity and explore its applications to help solve society's problems, thus increasing its awareness about the relevance of conducting research on this topic. Furthermore it will contribute to create a favorable environment for collaborative graduate education and research among Ecuadorean universities. The specific developmental objective of the project is an improved understanding and use of biodiversity through a research based master program delivering professionals. Improving the understanding and uses of biodiversity will help develop solutions to practical problems of the Ecuadorean society through the use of this knowledge. Considering the particularly rich biodiversity of Ecuador, this knowledge could also be useful to foster development of environmentally-conscious solutions at a global scale. PROJECT 1: Strengthen national capacities for developing graduate programs in Bio-discovery PROJECT N2: Strengthen national capacities for developing graduate programs in Water Resource Management