The university's branch in Guayaquil inaugurated its new "Maria Auxiliadora" campus where 300 students will study business administration and psychology.

The ceremony was presided by UPS president Father Javier Herran, Father Fransisco Sanchez, Inspector of Salesians in Ecuador; Andres Bayolo vice president of UPS's branch campus in Guayaquil; Luis Tobar  general vice president; Luis Cabrera, Archbishop of Guayaquil; Bernardo Salgado, Head of community involvement; and  Manuel Samaniego, on behalf of the Mayor of Guayaquil.

UPS students, administrative staff and professors also attended the ceremony. The welcome speech was given by Father Fransisco Sanchez who spoke about the growth of salesian works in Ecuador. "Don Bosco is present in this country, he wanted to have excellent education for all the youth", he said.

Father Javier Herran said "this may be another work of salesians in response to the current situation but this new campus is also the joint responsibility of the university's officials and professors"

The new campus was blessed by Father Luis Cabrera, while Father Javier Herran and Andres Bayolo received a recognition award for their contribution to the growth of the university.

They also planted a pine tree as a symbol of "a new beginning for the university which demonstrates the university is concerned about getting to places where quality education is needed", said Luis Moran, president of the students federation. 

"By inaugurating the new campus we are providing innovative education and administration, this is a place where men and women will seek the truth through academia", said Father Herran. 

The new campus is a modern infrastructure with 6 buildings, in 2019 a 6 story building will be built in order to meet the demand of upcoming years as there will be more undergraduate programs such as environmental, civil and biotechnology engineering. The MBA program in this new campus will begin on May 10th. "For now we will only have this master's program, but soon there will be masters programs in electric engineering, psychology and communication", said Andres Bayolo.