We co-created three food & hospitality education programs tailored to Rural Ecuador

A project for Fundación FUEGOS

Together with FUEGOS foundation, Mycelium collaborated in the co-design and conceptualization of the academic curriculum for the Instituto Superior Tecnológico de ICHE (ISTI) in Ecuador. ISTI is the first technical institute in the Ecuadorian provinces, and this effort was carried out by a multidisciplinary and international team.

Some of the results of this co-creation project include the objectives, institutional pillars (conceptual and methodological), and course structure, as well as the syllabus and activities for the different courses:

  • Transferring global knowledge, especially from the Global South, to the local context of Manabí for the co-creation of the values and institutional pillars of ISTI.

  • Development of a comprehensive institution with a systemic vision.

  • Development of three programs: Gastronomy, Regenerative Tourism, and R&D for new product development.

  • These programs are designed to be practice-oriented, focusing on real-world experiences and aligned with the values that underpin essential shifts in the food system.

Modern house with large glass windows and wooden siding illuminated at night, surrounded by a well-kept lawn and a stone pathway.

The Challenge

How can we solidify a pedagogical proposal for ISTI, to create a leading institution for empowering change agents with the ability to glean insights and leverage resources from their ecosystems, to catalyze transitions toward regenerative food systems?

How we tackled it

Phase 1:
Co-development of the ISTI pillars, courses, and objectives

We organized multiple Work Groups with local and international experts from diverse disciplines to formulate the objectives, cross-cutting principles, institutional pillars, and methodological foundations for ISTI. We meticulously prepared all the necessary documentation and annexes for the three programs to seek approval from the Ecuadorian government.

ISTI’s Pillars

  1. Promoting the transition towards regenerative systems, through learning based on nature and the rural environment

  2. Systemic thinking and abilities to discover and propose images of the future that guide present actions

  3. Inclusion, diversity and non-hegemony

  4. Leadership and entrepreneurship, collaborative and community, become drivers of transformation when creating sustainable, identity-based and impactful gastronomic and food businesses.

Phase 2:
Syllabus development

During this phase, we delved deeply into each program, crafting a total of 31 syllabi. To develop these syllabi, we conducted collaborative meetings and sessions with a diverse group of experts from across the globe. We aimed to determine the most suitable content for each course, ensuring that we seamlessly integrated global knowledge into the local context and that the course content harmonized with ISTI's pedagogical proposal.

Areas of knowledge of ISTI

  • Sciences

  • Culture and culinary arts

  • Business and entrepreneurship

  • Sustainability and connection with society

For each syllabus, we outlined a week-by-week breakdown, specifying the didactic units for each week and the corresponding activities necessary to cover the topics effectively. Additionally, we compiled a didactic guide for each subject, comprising a detailed description of the course, the expected learning outcomes, a suggested evaluation model, and a comprehensive list of specific references.

As the final step, we conducted a comprehensive review of the Tourism and R+D programs. This was to guarantee the seamless cross-cutting and vertical integration of knowledge throughout the curriculum.

Deliverables

  • Co-creation of an innovative institute with 3 programs tailored to the local context of Manabí but with a global, multidisciplinary and systems-oriented perspective.

  • Co-design of 31 syllabi following active learning methodologies and using nature as a laboratory.

  • Co-design >100 activities to implement the different theoretical concepts in each program.

  • Design of an innovative Sustainable Agri-Food Systems Bootcamp for the students using the multidisciplinary knowledge of foresight practitioners and sustainability experts.

  • 5 collective intelligence sessions with Mycelium experts to co-design and develop the programs.

  • 3 programs to be approved by the Ecuadorian Government + annexes which included I. program objectives, graduate profile, and learning outcomes; II. Drafting of substantive functions and learning methodologies; III Development of the section on cross-cutting relevance to the programs following legislation; IV Preliminary delineation of research lines for the research plan of the ISTI; V. Development of learning environments under legislation and Fuegos documentation.

  • 31 syllabus which included: I. Excel breakdown by weeks with didactic units and activities and II. document with the course description, learning outcomes, evaluation model, and bibliography.

  • A comprehensive review of the general curriculum and the Tourism and R+D programs to ensure the cross-cutting and vertical integration of knowledge.

  • Instructions for the FUEGOS team for implementing the programs.

Meet the Team Involved

  • A woman with short, dark, slightly wavy hair smiling, wearing a open-collared white shirt with a dark top underneath, against a plain white background.

    Estefania Simon-Sasyk

  • Black and white portrait of a woman with shoulder-length curly hair, smiling, wearing a white top.

    Sandra Lozano

  • A woman with long hair smiling, resting her chin on her hand in a casual setting.

    Patricia Jurado

  • A woman with long dark hair smiling, wearing layered necklaces and a white textured cardigan over a black top, with a blurred wooden background.

    Dra. Idoya Fernández-Pan

  • Black and white photo of a young woman with long wavy hair, wearing a patterned short-sleeve shirt, standing against a plain wall.

    Raquel Mestre Cuesta

  • A woman with dark, wavy hair smiling, wearing a floral patterned dress, against a solid background.

    Maria Soledad Casares

  • A woman with glasses and shoulder-length dark hair, wearing a sleeveless black top, standing indoors, holding a remote or phone, with a blurred presentation screen in the background.

    Dra. Yulie Meneses

  • Elisabet Puiggros

  • Black and white portrait of a young man wearing glasses, with short wavy hair and a slight smile, in an indoor setting.

    Fernando Peñuela

  • A man in a suit jacket, white shirt, and striped tie, wearing glasses and a flat cap, standing against a plain wall. He is holding the lapels of his suit with both hands.

    Chazz Titus

  • A woman in chef's uniform with an apron, smiling and looking to her left, against a plain background.

    Maria Fernanda Barriga

  • Black and white photograph of a smiling woman wearing a chef's coat with text that reads, 'Ecole Supérieure de Cuisine Française Ferrandi.' She has long hair and is standing against a plain background.

    Mónica Sahmkow

  • A man with dark hair and a beard sitting on a couch with a diamond-patterned wall in the background, wearing a black t-shirt and looking at the camera.

    Paco Cervilla

  • Black and white close-up photograph of a young man with glasses, a beard, and styled hair, outdoors with blurred trees in the background.

    Dharath Hoonchamlong

  • A smiling woman with long straight hair, wearing a turtleneck, hoop earrings, a necklace, and a blazer, standing against a plain light-colored background.

    Soraya Martínez

  • Black and white portrait of a young man with dark, wavy hair and round glasses, wearing a patterned sweater, against a plain light-colored background.

    Víctor Caleya

  • Close-up black and white photo of a man with dark hair, wearing glasses, a white shirt, and a plaid blazer, smiling slightly, against a plain background.

    Daniel Riveong

  • A young woman with long hair lying on a park bench, holding a book, smiling and looking up at the sky, surrounded by trees.

    Lorena Salazar Toro

  • A woman with short dark hair wearing earrings and a sleeveless top, smiling and looking slightly to her left, outdoors with trees and leaves in the background.

    Nataly Pinto Alvaro

  • Black and white photo of a smiling woman with a headscarf in a park or outdoor area, with a blurred building in the background.

    Valentina Alvarez

  • Portrait of a woman with long hair smiling, standing outdoors in front of leafy foliage.

    María Alegría Serna

  • A man with short dark hair and wearing a dark polo shirt, sitting at a table in a rustic restaurant or café with brick and wood interior.

    Orazio Belletini Cedeño

  • Black and white photo of a woman smiling, with short, wavy hair, nose piercing, wearing a turtleneck sweater, a jacket, and a beaded necklace.

    Constanza Díaz del Castillo Velásquez

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Fotografía del 8 de julio de 2024 que muestra a una mujer caminando por una chacra (huerta, en quechua) en Sharamentsa (Ecuador). EFE/Irene Morante De La Hera