Abstract

OCHOA CARRION, Vanessa del Carmen; PEREZ LATORRE, Fanny Genoveva; AGUIAR NOVILLO, Santiago Nicolás  and  RIOS VIVANCO, Samanta Briggitte. INTERCULTURAL HIGHER EDUCATION AND ANCESTRAL KNOWLEDGE: AXES FOR KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. Aula Virtual [online]. 2025, vol.6, n.13, e599.  Epub Dec 27, 2025. ISSN 2665-0398.  https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17847134.

This study aims to analyze the perceptions, practices, and proposals aimed at integrating ancestral knowledge into university education in the Amazon region. The main objective is to identify the extent to which Indigenous and community knowledge is incorporated into higher education, as well as to understand which knowledge is valued for local development and what strategies enable knowledge management based on co-production between universities and communities. For data collection, a mixed-method study was implemented: a 10-question survey, complemented by semi-structured interviews and bibliographic source analysis. This study analyzes the perception of the Ecuadorian population regarding the integration of ancestral knowledge into intercultural higher education. The research is based on the application of a digital survey disseminated through online platforms, reaching a sample of 299 participants across the national territory. The methodology adopts a mixed approach, combining quantitative data collection with qualitative analysis, in order to obtain a comprehensive perspective on the subject. The results indicate a high appreciation of ancestral knowledge as part of Ecuador’s cultural heritage. However, challenges were identified, among them the institutionalization of this knowledge. The analysis suggests that intercultural higher education can become a strategic space for the revaluation and transmission of ancestral knowledge. Finally, this study highlights the importance of recognizing cultural diversity as a resource for strengthening the educational system.

Keywords : Ancestral knowledge; intercultural higher education; cultural diversity; cultural heritage; Ecuador.

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