Edul@b Researcher, Dr. Lourdes Guàrdia, main speaker at the Conversation on Virtual Education in Engineering in Colombia

On November 27th, Dr. Lourdes Guàrdia, Edul@b researcher, participated as the main speaker in the Conversation on Virtual Education in Engineering: Regulations, Pedagogy, and Quality from a National and International Perspective, at the 2nd Meeting on Virtual Education in Engineering, organized by Simón Bolívar University and the University of Antioquia. The discussion also included Dr. Ciro Antonio Rodríguez, from the Chamber of Commerce of Norte de Santander; Dr. Adriana Xiomara Reyes, Advisor to the National Accreditation Council (CNA); and Dr. Claudia Inés Ayala, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Simón Bolívar University, who served as moderator.

The discussion highlighted that online engineering education represents a strategic opportunity to expand access, strengthen territorial equity, and respond to the demands of the productive sector, provided it is based on a solid pedagogical model, high-quality instructional design, and specialized faculty support. All the experts agreed that quality depends not on the modality, but on the educational intent, and that innovation, including the ethical use of artificial intelligence, virtual laboratories, and collaborative projects, must align with the real needs of the regions and industry to guarantee relevant, inclusive, and sustainable programs. You can access the recording of the discussion at the following YouTube link.

This meeting will continue to delve deeper into this topic in a face-to-face and hybrid format between May 14 and 16, 2026 in the city of Cúcuta (Colombia).