UPS President Javier Herrán Gómez inaugurated the VIII Latin American Congress on Mechanical Engineering, COLIM 2014 -"Engineering for a good life". He said that "people in Cuenca witness continuous contrasts that define the city as conservative and progressive, intellectual and sporty, industrial and folkloric, religious, traditional and contemporary. We feel this truly is a "university city" and we are called upon to meet the goals of researchers who serve people"

Nelson Jara Cobos, Mechanical Engineering Director and a member of COLIM's Scientific Committee, welcomed everyone to the Congress. Then Simon Fygueroa Salgado, President of the Bolivarian Society of Mechanical Engineering said that there have been especially interesting publications analyzing the tendencies of professional development in the future, such as technology which will have a major impact on society and the world economy, as well as scientific research. Finally, he invited everybody not only to take part in the Congress but to also go out and enjoy the city of Cuenca.

Representatives from the following universities are attending  the Congress: Tecnológico de Monterrey, México, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México, Universidad de los Andes, Venezuela; de Salta, Argentina, Federal de Espíritu Santo, Brasil, Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, Colombia, Tecnológica de Pariera, Colombia, Nacional de Colombia sede Medellín; Tecnológica del Norte, Argentina; La Serena, Chile; de Talca, Chile Universidad Santiago de Chile; Pontificia Universidad Católica, Perú; Universidad Privada Bolivariana; Nuestra Señora de Asunción, Paraguay; Politécnica Nacional, Ecuador; Universidad de Cuenca, del Azuay, and of course Politécnica Salesiana

Once the opening ceremony was over, Dr. José Carlos Miranda Valenzuela gave the first keynote speech: "Diseño robusto de autopartes" or Robust design of auto parts.