In 2005 the Banco de Pichincha CRISFE foundation and UPS signed an inter-institutional cooperation agreement which has allowed 145 students to co-finance their studies in Intercultural Bilingual Education and Local Sustainable Development; 71 of these students have already graduated.

At the beginning CRISFE supported students from rural sectors in Pichincha (Cayambe), Imbabura (Otavalo), Cotopaxi (Latacunga), Bolivar (Simiatug) who majored in Intercultural Bilingual Education. The students who graduated currently work as teachers of intercultural bilingual education in their communities.

In September 2013 both institutions signed another agreement, for five more years, that would benefit both Intercultural Bilingual Education students and Local Sustainable Development students. There are 20 scholarships for each major. 

Intercultural Bilingual Education students are from an indigenous community called shuar in the province of Morona Santiago and are currently in their second year. Students study these majors in distance mode, which allows them to maintain sociocultural ties with their families and environment. 

The cooperation agreement covers education, research, transfer of technology, training, and internships which will promote the development of people from vulnerable communities.