Andrea Pino, part of the academic team of the Faculty of Art, Design and Audiovisual Communication (FADCOM) of the ESPOL, successfully completed the Doctoral Programme in Art: Production and Research, obtaining the title of Doctor of Art with Cum Laude mention, a recognition reserved for doctoral theses of academic excellence. On 30 May 2025, Pino defended her doctoral thesis entitled ‘Sustainable identity: a vision of participatory action applied in university living laboratories’.
In this work, she proposes a strategic implementation model to foster university sustainable identity, based on the link between the person and the environment in contexts of protected areas managed by higher education institutions. The thesis defence was carried out within the framework of the doctoral programme in Art at an international university, with the support of an academic committee that valued the proposal for its innovative character, its applicability and its interdisciplinary approach.
Andrea Pino's thesis contributes to the theory of art and sustainability, proposing a practical route for universities to strengthen their role as agents of change in environmental issues. Her proposal encourages the active participation of the university community and social actors in the construction of a sustainable identity, through the so-called living laboratories, spaces for experimentation and transformation from higher education.
© Photography: Courtesy / Written by José Luis Castro
