Univille Signs Cooperation Agreement with the University of Cuenca, Advancing the Internationalization of Research

The University of the Region of Joinville (Univille) has signed a cooperation agreement with the University of Cuenca (UCuenca), one of Ecuador’s most traditional public higher education institutions. The partnership establishes broad cooperation in teaching, research, and university outreach, with an emphasis on areas such as sustainability, food systems, circular economy, and regional development. The initiative will involve students and researchers from Univille’s Graduate Program in Production Systems, connecting master’s-level education with real-world demands for applied research in sustainability and food systems.

The collaboration between the two universities is already taking concrete form through a bilateral scientific research project submitted to the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) under the PROSUL Pepe Mujica Public Call 02/2026. The proposal establishes two years of active cooperation, encompassing integrated research activities, human resources development, and international academic exchange.

One of the pillars of the partnership is the Sabor de Sobra university outreach project, developed by Univille in partnership with the Santa Catarina State University (UDESC). Running for more than 16 years, the initiative has become a national and international reference in food waste reduction, ecogastronomy, and circular economy. Sabor de Sobra has been presented at FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) forums and international symposia.

Integrating the project into the cooperation agreement with UCuenca opens up new opportunities for the replication and comparative study of these practices in the Ecuadorian context, expanding the initiative’s social and scientific impact.

Professor Yoná da Silva Dalonso was welcomed by the Rector of UCuenca, Professor Luís Rodrigo Mendieta, along with members of the university’s administration and researchers from the Ecuadorian institution.

For Professor Yoná da Silva Dalonso, creator of the Sabor de Sobra project, the formalization of the agreement represents the consolidation of a process built on scientific dialogue and trust between the teams of both institutions.

“This agreement reinforces Univille’s commitment to internationalization and to the production of knowledge aimed at sustainable development and South-South cooperation,” she explained.

About UCuenca

Founded by legislative decree on October 15, 1867, the University of Cuenca (UCuenca) was the first university established in the city of Cuenca and throughout the Ecuadorian Austro region. Today, UCuenca is considered one of the leading universities in Ecuador and is widely recognized across Latin America. With more than 12,000 enrolled students, the university has 12 faculties and 56 undergraduate programs in the fields of Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Health Sciences, Engineering, and Technology.

The city of Cuenca, where the university is located, is recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site. Since 2012, UCuenca has been a member of the Ecuadorian Network of Universities and Polytechnic Schools for Research and Graduate Studies (REDU), reaffirming its commitment to scientific research and interinstitutional cooperation. Its institutional mission is to educate professionals and scientists committed to improving quality of life, interculturality, and harmony with nature—values that are closely aligned with those of Univille.