Programa del congreso

This article presents the rehabilitation of an off-grid photovoltaic solar energy system that had been out of operation, installed in an educational center located in one of Costa Rica’s Indigenous territories. The experience is analyzed from a socio-technical perspective that integrates the technical recovery of the system with a process that contributes to community empowerment based on Community Power principles. The methodology included a comprehensive system diagnosis, selective replacement of critical components, partial reconstruction of the internal electrical network, the articulation of inter-institutional support networks, and a structured training process for system users. The results show that the rehabilitation restored a stable electricity supply under real operating conditions, optimizing system use in a resource-constrained context through strategies such as non-simultaneous load operation. Furthermore, the active participation of members of the educational community in the management, monitoring, and operation of the system strengthened local ownership and reduced dependence on external technical support. This study provides empirical evidence of the technical, economic, and social feasibility of rehabilitating off-grid solar systems in Indigenous and rural educational contexts, highlighting community empowerment as a key factor for long-term sustainability

In the 21st century, professional and educational realities have shifted, and the vision of Humanitarian Engineering (HE)—founded in 2003—emerged as a response to the social and environmental threats societies have faced since then. However, this approach is not equitably distributed across regions. Central America lacks the institutionalization of Humanitarian Engineering in both formal curricula and faculty training, despite its extreme social and climate vulnerability, where HE would be particularly relevant. This study adopts an exploratory-descriptive and educational action-research approach, aimed at identifying methodological gaps and strengthening engineering education with a humanitarian purpose. The objective is to design a curricular model for faculty development in Humanitarian Engineering (HE) that contributes to the institutionalization of the HELA (Humanitarian Engineering Las Américas) framework within Central American universities. The research concludes that strengthening the faculty is the most effective path to consolidating HE in Latin America, fostering inter-American academic networks, and positioning engineering education as an active agent for human, ethical, and sustainable development in the 21st century.

International academic cooperation constitutes a relevant mechanism for strengthening advanced training and scientific production in higher education institutions. However, it is frequently assessed through mobility metrics, without detailing how institutional mechanisms are organized or what research orientations emerge from these partnerships. For this reason, the main objective is to analyze the UPM–ESPOL case through a humanitarian engineering dimensions framework in order to identify strategic axes of international university cooperation. The study was conducted in three phases: (i) documentary delimitation of the case study; (ii) thematic analysis of academic production; and (iii) strategic analysis of academic cooperation. Academic production was concentrated in water resources, environment, mining, and infrastructure. Four cooperation axes were identified: advanced training, academic mobility, applied research orientation, and institutional articulation through networks and projects. The analysis shows convergence between the identified thematic orientations and dimensions associated with humanitarian engineering (territorial needs, technological applications, and R&D). The case provides elements for analyzing interuniversity cooperation in terms of institutional mechanisms and research orientation.

Engineering is intrinsically linked to the development of humanity. Professional training at universities encompasses theory, practice, and engagement with real-world situations, all of which must be articulated within a structured framework for the professional and personal development of future engineers. How do the core functions of university life fit together in an academic environment connected to reality? Strategies and their indicators are key to reflecting the university's connection to reality. This work aims to analyze the academic system of an educational unit in Earth sciences through the framework of teaching, research, and community engagement to provide comprehensive training for its students. The applied method focuses on community engagement activities through programs, projects, and interventions within the faculty of Earth sciences, considering diverse indicators of participation and efficiency to support analysis and the proposal of humanitarian engineering. The results reflect the participation of 80 students annually in community-based internships of varying industrial and productive nature, with tangible and intangible outcomes. The conjunction of teacher, student, and community transforms the third substantive function into a unique, dynamic school with diverse projections in engineering design, nature-based solutions, the rescue of ancestral recognition, association, and organization for production, and always with the nuance of humanitarian engineering.