On February 7th, Universidad Politecnica Salesiana, Dirección General de Intereses Marítimos (DIGEIM) and Fundación Ecuatoriana para el Desarrollo Marítimo Fluvial y Lacustre (FUNDEMAR) signed an interinstitutional cooperation agreement.

The aim is to promote activities to develop community involvement projects, academic research, training courses, practicums related to community support and risk management in the environmental, sea and productivity fields.

UPS President Javier Herran, the vice president of the university's branch campus in Quito Jose Juncosa, professor Enza Bosetti and staff from the communication and culture department met in the university's branch campus in Quito with Brumel Vazquez Bermudez from Dirección General de Intereses Marítimos (DIGEIM) and Verónica Isolina Massón Fiallos, director of FUNDEMAR.

UPS president Javier Herran said this agreement means "joining a new technological field and preparing future engineers to be experts in engines, maintenance of boats and technological development in the maritime field. "Brumel Vazquez said "I feel honored to have signed the agreement, the Ecuadorian army not only thinks about defense, it thinks about the country's development"