2005 – 2015: A DECADE OF EDUCATION AND CHANGE. THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE UNIVERSIDAD LAICA ELOY ALFARO DE MANABÍ, ECUADOR

Abstract

The Universidad Laica Eloy Alfaro de Manabí (ULEAM), a Higher Education Institution (HEI), was created in 1985. Develops professionals in multiple academic areas, and assume important roles in the society once they are graduated. This HEI initiated its formative labor with a limited infrastructure, insufficient green areas, besides deficient sanitary network and rainwater gathering, and due to its growth, the environmental problems have grown with it. For the present article, it has been taken as a base line the environment conditions in 2005, when the “ULEAM” had a lack of water supply, noise pollution, an inefficient solid waste gathering and there were no efforts for the creation of green areas. It’s meaningful that even though the study programs included environment seminars, these were not mandatory. In the decade between 2005 and 2015, it showed positive changes. The environmental weaknesses were faced, and were worked in the improvement of the environment conditions. According to the study program of the different careers, it was included in the curricular subjects a formative approaching to the environment as mandatory. In the “ULEAM” nowadays exists departments in charge of the environmental subjects. The members of the university community are involved, and show an acceptable level of consciousness in the knowledge and care of the environment.