Incremento de la Educación Universitaria a Distancia y en Línea en Ecuador – Principales Resultados

While online learning was not unfamiliar, and Distance Education is a strength of the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, the pandemic brought about several transformations in Ecuador's Higher Education System. This research provides a comparison using Benchmarking methodology between the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja and the national (public and private) and international offerings with similar characteristics in terms of study modality. The main results show similarities in the offering of traditional programs and some advantages of UTPL in programs that are only offered by this University. However, there is an explosion of academic offerings in Ecuador. It's worth noting that the study does not delve into the analysis of the quality of the academic model; it focuses on the portfolio and study modality. Benchmarking allows for strategic decisions to improve or surpass what is considered competition, with a special focus on meeting the demands of those who are increasingly choosing distance and online study options.