Biographical note

Álvaro Rocha holds the title of Honorary Professor, and holds a D.Sc. in Information Science, Ph.D. in Information Systems and Technologies, M.Sc. in Information Management, and BCs in Computer Science. He is a professor of Information Systems at the University of Lisbon – ISEG and a researcher at the ADVANCE (the ISEG Centre for Advanced Research in Management. He is also President of AISTI (the Iberian Association for Information Systems and Technologies), Chair of the IEEE Portugal Section Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society Chapter, and Editor-in-Chief of both JISEM (Journal of Information Systems Engineering & Management) and RISTI (Iberian Journal of Information Systems and Technologies). Moreover, he has served as Vice-Chair of Experts for the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 program, and as an Expert at the COST - intergovernmental framework for European Cooperation in Science and Technology, at the Government of Italy’s Ministry of Universities and Research, at theGovernment of Latvia’s Ministry of Finance, at the Government of Mexico's National Council of Science and Technology, and at the Government of Polish's National Science Centre. 

Paulo Carlos López-López is professor and researcher in the Department of Political Science and Sociology at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), PhD in Communication, journalist and political scientist. He is a member of the International Research Network on Communication Management, the Political Research Team of the USC and the Iberian Association of Information Systems and Technologies. He has published more than sixty scientific papers on topics such as communication, social media and political science. He was director of the group "Media, Applied Technologies and Communication" and director of a postgraduate degree in Political Communication in Ecuador. He was awarded the Drago 2019 research award for his study on transparency. Work experience on electoral campaigns, organizational communication, Press office and parliament management.  He has an H Index of 7 and is an accredited professor in the category Contracted Doctor by the Quality Department of the Galician University System (ACSUG). 

Juan Pablo Salgado Vice-Rector of Research at Universidad Politécnica Salesiana de Ecuador PhD. in Economics and Innovation for Sustainable Development at Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Italy. Recognition for the best doctoral thesis on June 4th, 2018, during the "IUSS Day" ceremony. Master's Degree in Innovation for Business Development, Tecnológico de Monterrey. Fourth level diploma in Strategic Marketing Management, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja. Cooperative Learning and Educational Technology at the Salesian-style University Universidad Católica de Brasilia (Brazil)-Universidad Politécnica Salesiana de Ecuador. Mechanical Engineer with mention in Machine Design at Universidad Politécnica Salesiana de Ecuador. Industrial Technologist in the specialty of Industrial Mechanics at Universidad Politécnica Salesiana de Ecuador. He was Secretary of Liaison with the Internationalization Collective at Universidad Politécnica Salesiana de Ecuador. He was Secretary of Human and Economic Development of the Municipality of Cuenca, Ecuador; Management of the City of Sciences. Coordination and Public Policy of the City Council in the areas of Social and Economic Development, Culture, Education, Health, Tourism. Executive Representative of the Mayor and President of the Directories of Public Companies. Advisor to the Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy. Member of the Trust "Por Cuenca" with private companies and the Chamber of Industries of the city of Cuenca since March 2020. Delegate of the Rector of the Universidad Politécnica Salesiana de Ecuador in the Consortium of Universities of the City of Cuenca for the Cuenca del Futuro Project. Representative of the Rector and Coordinator of the University Council ofLibrary of the Universidad Politécnica Salesiana de Ecuador. Member of the Executive Council and General Coordinator of the I International Congress "University, Development and Cooperation". Member of the executive council of the III International Congress "University, Development and Cooperation". Co-organizer of the I Engineering Congress "Engineering Education in Ecuador". Member of the Council of Publications at Universidad Politécnica Salesiana de Ecuador. Member of the Board of Directors of the REDU (Network of Ecuadorian Universities for Research). President of the Scientific Committee of the International Congress on Scientific Research and Production and Publishing. Delegate of the Mayor of Cuenca to the Chair of Citizenship, Chair of the Accredited Universities of Cuenca. Main Member of the Network of International Relations and Cooperation of the Ecuadorian Universities. Manager of the Research Agreements with the Universities of Ferrara, Pavia and Florence. (Italy). Financial Management with International Banks and Financial Research Organizations and agreements with the University of Economics of Vienna - Austria. Member of the Advisory Mission for the formation of the Salesian Universities in India - Province of Tamil Nadu-Chennai. Member of the Basin Committee of the Alliance for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Member of the Dialogue Table of the Project of Academic Cooperation with Ecuadorian Universities and the European Union VERTEBRALCUE.