Higher technical and technological Education, virtuality and critical Interculturality: A review of the state of the art on educational access and exclusion in Ecuador

Abstract

This article critically analyzes the dynamics of access, inequality, and expansion of Higher Education in Ecuador through a systematic review of recent literature within the Latin American context. The study adopts a qualitative documentary approach grounded in the critical-interpretive paradigm, which allows for the examination of both research trends and the social structures that shape access to and persistence in the higher education system. The state of the art is organized around three main dimensions: Access and inequality, Technical and technological Higher Education as a strategy for inclusion, and the Role of Virtual Education and Interculturality in the transformation of the system. The findings reveal that, despite the expansion of coverage, structural inequalities persist, associated with socioeconomic, territorial, and ethnic factors, particularly affecting Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and rural populations. Additionally, technical and technological education is identified as a relevant alternative for diversifying educational pathways and expanding access, although it faces limitations related to its social recognition and institutional articulation. Virtual education emerges as a mechanism with democratizing potential; however, it remains constrained by digital divides and unequal access to technological resources. Finally, the study concludes that higher education in Ecuador continues to face significant challenges in terms of equity, inclusion, and recognition of cultural diversity, highlighting the need to strengthen comprehensive public policies aimed at ensuring equitable conditions for access, retention, and completion of studies.