Intersectionality in Higher Education Public Policies in Ecuador

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54674/ess.v37i2.1023
Keywords: Gender equality, equal opportunities; public policy; higher education

Abstract

This study examines the incorporation of an intersectional approach within Ecuador's higher education public policies through a comprehensive document analysis. It scrutinizes the 2008 Constitution, the Organic Law of Higher Education relevant plans and regulations, as well as institutional reports and academic literature. The objective is to assess the extent to which Ecuador's legal framework and educational policies consider the intersections of gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability, and other categories in promoting inclusion and equity.​ The research identifies significant normative advancements, including constitutional principles of non-discrimination and interculturality, along with targeted efforts in access and retention policies. However, it also reveals persistent gaps in the effective implementation of a comprehensive intersectional approach, highlighting operational limitations and the perpetuation of structural inequalities. Based on these findings, the study discusses the challenges facing inclusive higher education in Ecuador and proposes recommendations aimed at strengthening the intersectional perspective in the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of public educational policies.

Author Biographies

Johanna Rosali Reyes-Reinoso, Catholic University of Cuenca, Cuenca, Ecuador

Ph.D. in Social Sciences; Master’s degrees in Comprehensive Auditing and Human Rights; Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Auditing, Marketing, and International Business Negotiation. She holds certificates in Gender Studies, Criminology, Critical Thinking, Foreign Trade, Data Analysis, and Researcher Training. Research professor at the Catholic University of Cuenca, head of the Gender Observatory (RIOUC), coordinator of the Science and Diversity Research Group (GIC&D), editorial coordinator of the “Al Dato” Open Data Observatory, and peer reviewer for CACES. She is also the author of books and articles with a gender focus, including Interrupted Trajectories: Gender Metaphors and Career Gaps in the Global Academic Arena. A Bibliometric Study.

Andrea Cristina Vallejo Sancho, Catholic University of Cuenca, Cuenca, Ecuador

She holds a master’s degree in International Public Management and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Sciences Po Paris. She is a university professor with more than ten years of experience in leadership roles in higher education, both at Ecuador’s Secretariat of Higher Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation and at the Catholic University of Cuenca. Her career includes experience with the United Nations Development Programme and in the planning, formulation, and evaluation of evidence-based public policies. Her research incorporates a gender perspective and focuses on the analysis of higher education policies.

María Caridad Rojas Valdivieso, Catholic University of Cuenca, Cuenca, Ecuador

Ph.D. candidate in Law; holds a Master’s degree in Constitutional Law with a concentration in Constitutional Procedural Law from the Catholic University of Cuenca, and a Master’s degree in Law with a concentration in Criminal Procedural Law and in Human Rights with a concentration in International Protection Systems from the State University of Milagro. Admitted to the Ecuadorian Bar Association. Since 2024, she has served as a professor and researcher at the Catholic University of Cuenca. She has an extensive body of scholarly work published in national and international academic journals and books.

Ana Fabiola Zamora Vázquez, Catholic University of Cuenca, Cuenca, Ecuador

She holds a Ph.D. in Law from the University of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain) and completed postdoctoral research in Law at the University of Bologna (Italy). She has been a professor and researcher at the Catholic University of Cuenca since 2006, specializing in civil law, civil liability, human rights, and legal research. She has served as a peer reviewer for CACES and as a member of the Evaluation Committee for the Judges’ Competition of the National Court of Justice of Ecuador. She has published extensively in national and international academic journals and books.

References

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Asamblea Nacional. (2010). Ley Orgánica de Educación Superior. Registro Oficial No. 298, 12 de octubre de 2010. [Reformas 2018, Registro Oficial Suplemento No. 297, 2 de agosto de 2018]. https://www.lexis.com.ec
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Published
2026-05-30
How to Cite
Reyes-Reinoso, J. R., Vallejo Sancho, A. C., Rojas Valdivieso, M. C., & Zamora Vázquez, A. F. (2026). Intersectionality in Higher Education Public Policies in Ecuador. Higher Education and Society Journal (ESS), 37(2), 481-500. https://doi.org/10.54674/ess.v37i2.1023
Issue
Vol 37 No 2 (2025): Artificial Generative Intelligence (GenAI) in teaching and research: best practices, challenges, and prospects
Section
General section articles

Copyright (c) 2025 Johanna Rosali Reyes-Reinoso, Andrea Cristina Vallejo Sancho, María Caridad Rojas Valdivieso, Ana Fabiola Zamora Vázquez

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