Background: This paper investigates the impact of Ecuador’s Ley Orgánica de Educación Superior (LOES), enacted in 2010, which mandated comprehensive reforms in higher education. Objective: The objective of this study is to determine whether the implementation of the LOES has led to a significant increase in academic publications in Ecuador, thereby contributing to sustainable educational practices and aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this context, sustainability refers to the ongoing capacity of higher education institutions to generate research that contributes to the long-term development of knowledge, aligns with global sustainability goals, and ensures educational practices that are responsive to societal needs. Methods: Using a synthetic control method, this study evaluates the impact of the LOES on the number of academic publications recorded in Scopus. A synthetic control consisting of data from countries with similar educational and economic profiles serves as a counterfactual to Ecuador’s situation. Results: Before the LOES, the average annual number of publications was stable at 253.4 per year. Post-2010, this number surged, reaching an average of 3645.84 publications per year, representing a 358.41% increase. By 2023, the actual number of publications in Ecuador rose to approximately 6584, significantly surpassing the synthetic control estimate of 1431 publications. Conclusions: The findings confirm that the LOES has been effective in increasing research output and advancing educational sustainability in Ecuador. This analysis not only contributes to the literature on the impact of educational policies but also demonstrates the utility of synthetic control methods in assessing policy effectiveness, underscoring the potential of targeted interventions to promote academic excellence and sustainability in education.

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) research in Latin America during the period 2013–2023. The main objective is to examine trends in scientific production, international collaborations, and perceptions of AI in the region, highlighting both achievements and persistent challenges. The methodology employed included a bibliometric analysis based on data from the Web of Science database, complemented with advanced natural language processing techniques such as SciBERT, a pre-trained model specialized in the scientific domain. Text preprocessing, identification of named entities, and collaborative network analysis allowed for a detailed assessment of scientific production in AI, with a particular focus on digital transformation and its impact on health, sustainability, and public policy. The results indicate a significant growth of scientific production on AI in Latin America, with Brazil and Mexico as leaders in citation volume and impact. However, there has been a decrease in the average impact per article in recent years, suggesting an increase in the number of publications that does not necessarily translate into higher quality or international visibility. Areas such as health and sustainability emerge as prominent fields, although challenges persist in terms of infrastructure, funding, and the need for solid regulatory frameworks that promote the ethical use of AI. In conclusion, although AI research in Latin America has shown remarkable progress, a balanced approach that prioritizes the quality and visibility of publications is essential, as well as the implementation of public policies that foster strong international collaboration. This study underscores the importance of strengthening scientific infrastructure and collaborative networks to maximize the impact of AI in the region, contributing significantly to the sustainable and equitable development of Latin America.

The present study conducted a detailed bibliometric analysis focused on research related to Heuristic Method, Research Skills and Teaching Practice within the framework of Higher Education. For this purpose, the Scopus database was used, considering publications from 2013 to 2023. The initial analysis revealed a total of 4071 relevant records. Of these, research articles constituted the largest proportion with 60.1%. Given the relevance and volume of these articles, 2488 were selected for further analysis. However, after a filtering process, it was decided to work with 2363 articles. A crucial observation of the study is the prominence of the Social Sciences in this field. With 1,693 articles, the Social Sciences accounted for a significant 39.9% of the total number of publications analyzed. This data suggests a notable inclination towards the Social Sciences when addressing the above-mentioned topics in the field of higher education. It also reflects the interdisciplinarity and diversity of approaches in contemporary educational research. It is essential to note that the methodology adopted in this study, based on bibliometric tools and the Scopus database, provides a robust and up-to-date overview of trends in educational research over the last decade. These findings are crucial for scholars, researchers and practitioners in education to understand the dynamics and recent evolutions in the field.

This study investigates research trends in Ecuadorian public universities by analyzing 1,826 Web of Science articles from the pre-COVID-19 period (2015–2018). Using the HJ-biplot method for graphical representation, correlations between universities and research areas are examined. The findings highlight marked regional differences: in Coast-East, research is concentrated in Education and Social Sciences, led by the University of Guayaquil, while, in the Highlands, there is a focus on Engineering and Chemistry, with the National Polytechnic School as a pioneer. These differences reflect the need for research strategies adapted to each regional context. In addition, changes are observed in the research areas of institutions such as the Higher Polytechnic School of Chimborazo and the Technical University of Machala. This study underscores the importance of developing differentiated research policies in Ecuador, appropriate to the strengths and needs of each region, and provides a basis for strategic planning in the academic and scientific areas of the country.

The study analyzed the presence of Ecuador in the post-pandemic Web of Science (WoS) from a multivariate dynamic, highlighting a significant transformation in scientific communication towards open access (OA). The methodology integrated multivariate statistical techniques, using R and specialized tools, to process 9,085 relevant articles. Between 2019 and 2021, 52% of Ecuadorian publications in WoS were open access. This movement reflects a commitment to quality research and accessibility, evidencing an increase in publications and citations under OA. The research highlights the importance of establishing robust national OA policies in Ecuador to promote scientific collaboration and an equitable distribution of knowledge. The dynamic biplot showed how universities in the post-pandemic period had stable and erratic behaviors towards open access. Of all the universities, the State University of Cuenca stands out in terms of quantity of production and migration to open access.

El presente estudio analiza la producción científica sobre la relación entre las tecnologías financieras (FinTech), la inclusión financiera y el desarrollo económico durante el período 2015–2025. Para ello, se empleó un diseño combinado de análisis bibliométrico y revisión sistemática de la literatura, a partir de registros recuperados en Scopus y Web of Science. Tras el proceso de depuración y eliminación de duplicados, se conformó un corpus bibliométrico de 628 artículos, del cual se seleccionaron 50 documentos para la síntesis sistemática. Los resultados evidencian un crecimiento sostenido de la producción científica, con una expansión más marcada a partir de 2020, así como una estructura temática articulada en torno a términos como inclusión financiera, FinTech, crecimiento económico, mobile money y pobreza. La evidencia revisada indica que FinTech favorece la inclusión financiera mediante herramientas como la banca móvil, los pagos digitales y los servicios financieros digitales. No obstante, sus efectos sobre el desarrollo económico son heterogéneos y dependen de factores como la infraestructura digital, la educación financiera, la regulación y la calidad institucional. En conjunto, los hallazgos permiten concluir que FinTech constituye un facilitador relevante de la inclusión financiera, aunque su impacto económico se encuentra condicionado por brechas estructurales y contextos diferenciados de adopción.