Industrial engineering in higher education processes in zone 4: Ecuador

Abstract

In zone 4, Manabí Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas there are 4 public and 4 private higher technological institutes, which offer higher education at a technical and technological level. The purpose of this research is to determine the contribution of industrial engineers to the processes of higher education teaching and research within the public institutes of zone 4. As a methodology, a mixed investigation was applied to determine the contribution of the professional of the industrial engineer within of the institutes, as well as and the revision of statistics. As a result, it was obtained that industrial engineers reach 5.74% of the total of linked teachers, contribute 26.48% of the substantive axis of teaching with the teaching of subjects in various technical and technological training careers, and 30, 69% of the axis of the investigation with its scientific productions. It is concluded that industrial engineering professionals have excellent professional skills and contribute significantly to higher education processes, but their role remains relegated to teaching without being able to perform other managerial-administrative functions, although, in accordance with the reform to the Higher Education Law and its Regulations, and to the policies issued by the Higher Education Council, in the public contest of merits and opposition for Rectors and Vice-Rectors of the institutes, the professional profile of Industrial Engineering is one of the most suitable for effectively exercise these positions.