Juan Manuel García Samaniego holds a PhD in Natural Resource Economics and Sustainable Development. He is a university professor and researcher with extensive experience in academic management, institutional evaluation, quality assurance, and university positioning. He formerly served as President of Ecuador’s Council for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (CACES) and currently serves as Director General for Institutional Evaluation and Quality at Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL). His areas of expertise include public policy, bioeconomy, and sustainable development.