The extinct Siembra Public Company and the City of Knowledge project would close in two phases.
In 2019, the former President of the Republic Lenín Moreno signed Decree 1060, which ordered the extinction of Siembra EP, for which he set a maximum period of 180 days.
Siembra was the company in charge of developing the activities related to the City of Knowledge project. It was created during the government of Rafael Correa.
The President of the Republic, Guillermo Lasso, ordered the cancellation or closure of the extinct Siembra Public Company and the City of Knowledge project through Decree 639.
President Guillermo Lasso orders the closure or cancellation of the City of Knowledge project
Andrea Montalvo, head of the Secretary of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (Senescyt), mentioned that what the decree does is authorize that entity to carry out what he called an “adequate closure” of Siembra EP.
He explained that in 2019, during the Moreno administration, a name change was made: from Yachay Empresa Pública to Siembra; and then, in 2020, the same official decreed the closure and liquidation of that last public company.
In May 2021, he added, an act of delivery and transfer of the passive and active assets of Siembra EP to Senescyt was prepared.
He clarified that this did not include granting them the rights to be able to proceed with the recommendations made by the Comptroller or execution of all movable and immovable property, as well as with the execution of the trials and sponsorships that must be made for the closure to be adequate.
He denied that the Yachay Tech University, which opened its doors in 2013, is going to end its activities. He added that it will be strengthened with resources and infrastructure.
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“They are two totally different situations: the university has its creation law as such, the Yachay Tech University; and the public company Siembra EP, which corresponded to this City of Knowledge, is the one that is entering the process, ”he said in an interview in Teleamazon.
Montalvo indicated that the extinction of that public company and the City of Knowledge project had already been decreed in the previous government.
In his opinion, it can be confirmed that it was not necessary to innovate to assemble large infrastructures, but rather an articulation of actors.
The official noted that the issued decree empowers the Senescyt to complete the litigation processes, comply with the Comptroller’s recommendations and make proper use of the assets.
“When the public company Siembra EP was closed, in 2020 (…), how many people had to leave? The current expense that this represented for the country was very large in relation to what could be covered, ”he said.
He stated that a first term of six months has been set to comply with the recommendations, to finalize and be able to comply with the trials and sponsorships; and subsequently, and in coordination with other State portfolios, identify the movable and immovable assets to which they may be transferred.
According to the Government, in the Yachay project there was a waste of around $1,000 million
At Yachay Tech University there are 1,720 students, of which 1,232 are studying a degree, 465 are in leveling and 23 are following postgraduate courses.
Andrés Rosales, rector of Yachay Tech, indicated that the university has no relationship with the City of Knowledge, although they were one of the edges of that project, but they are unrelated.
“There are certain links in terms of goods and some places, but this is mainly in charge of the Senescyt,” he said.
These assets refer to buildings or some laboratory equipment.
“We see the decree with good eyes, in the sense that now the Senescyt has a free way to be able to make viable, review and coordinate the issue of transfer of assets with us,” Rosales said.
Yachay Tech University is made up of six schools that offer nine undergraduate degrees and eight master’s degree programs. They are linked to scientific research and technological impact.
In December 2022, the Higher Education Council (CES) approved the institutionalization of the Yachay Experimental Technology Research University. (YO)
Source: Eluniverso
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