With the aim of consolidating planning and strengthening collaborative efforts among the participating institutions, a coordination meeting for the 1st International Interdisciplinary Congress on Social Sciences (CIICIS 2026) was held last Tuesday, June 3, 2026, at the Quito campus of the Universidad Politécnica Salesiana.
The meeting brought together members of the congress's Scientific and Organizing Committees, as well as representatives from the co-organizing institutions: the Salesian Polytechnic University (UPS), the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO Ecuador), and the Technical University of Loja (UTPL).
During the session, strategic aspects related to the organization of the event were reviewed, including the overall schedule, active calls for academic submissions, deadlines for the receipt and evaluation of contributions, and other key processes for the development of the congress.
The session was chaired by Dr. Narcisa Medranda, Chair of CIICIS 2026, who highlighted the importance of strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration within the social sciences.
“The social sciences should not develop in isolation, each from its own island. It is necessary to build bridges for dialogue and joint work that allow us to identify gaps, generate collaborative knowledge, and provide more comprehensive solutions to the challenges facing our society,” he noted.
La reunión contó también con la participación del Dr. Diego Carrión, coordinador de Investigación de la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, sede Quito, quien compartió orientaciones estratégicas para continuar impulsando el proceso de internacionalización de CIICIS 2026 y fortalecer su posicionamiento académico.
Dr. Isabel Ramos, head of the Master’s Program in Political Communication and Public Opinion at FLACSO Ecuador and Track Chair for the Politics and Governance thematic area, also participated. Her presence reaffirms the collaboration between FLACSO Ecuador and CIICIS 2026, contributing to the strengthening of the academic networks supporting this international initiative.
Attendees also included Dr. Roberto Sánchez, Track Chair for the "Social Communication in the Age of Artificial Intelligence" track; Dr. Nina Aguiar; Dr. Vanessa Vanegas; Dr. Francisco Toral, Head of Internationalization at the Salesian Polytechnic University; Esteban Plaza, PhD (c), Track Chair for the "Multimedia Design, Innovation, Interaction, and Accessibility" track; Andrés Escobar, PhD (c); Jaime Ramiro Morejón, PhD (c), Technical Director of Communication and Culture at UPS Quito; Scarlet Cisneros, MSc, Assistant to the Technical Directorate of Communication and Culture; Diego Proaño, MSc; Dr. María del Carmen Ramírez; and Sabina Valdez Jácome, MSc, Assistant for CIICIS 2026.
This space helped strengthen ties among researchers, faculty members, and academic administrators committed to organizing an international congress that fosters interdisciplinary dialogue, scientific cooperation, and the generation of knowledge addressing contemporary societal challenges.
