Around 700 people -among professors, researchers, policy makers, members of international organizations and students- attended the most important Economy and Econometrics event for Latin America and the Caribbean, Lacea Lames 2018, at ESPOL. It was the XXIII meeting of the event that every year joins together academics and experts in economic issues, in different countries of the region since 1996.

On this occasion, and for the first time it was held in Guayaquil- Ecuador, and it took place during November 8, 9 and 10 at Gustavo Galindo Campus of ESPOL. Besides, it had the participation of the 2010 and 2011 Nobel Prize winners: Christopher Pissarides and Christopher Sims, respectively.

The event was organized by ESPOL and its College of Social Sciences and Humanities, (FCSH), within the framework of the 60 years of institutional life, together with the Latin America and Caribbean Economics Association (LACEA) and the Chapter for Latin America of the Econometrics Association (LAMES). It also had the support of the Central Bank of Ecuador, as a strategic partner, The Municipal Public office for tourism in Guayaquil and the Ministry of Tourism of Ecuador, as ally institutions.

Cecilia Paredes, President of ESPOL, welcomed speakers and attendees from LACEA LAMES, and she invited them to enjoy their stay in the country and the institution. Besides, she pointed out that ESPOL will continue working in the academic preparation of professionals who develop research that meets the demands of a changing society.

During the three days of the Congress, 341 lectures were given: 11 main sessions, 38 invited sessions and 292 contributory sessions, which were in charge of a selected group of academics and researchers from different countries of the world. They addressed topics of general interest regarding Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Game theories, Economy of Crime, Health Economics, Gender Economics, Fiscal and Monetary Policy, among others.

In his speech as keynote lecturer, Pissarides mentioned the impact of new technologies on labor markets and how they have restructured the industry through artificial intelligence. Sims, instead, referred to the administration of public debt based on the fiscal and monetary policies of each country.

In the three days of the Congress, Economics students from ESPOL could attend the talks made by the main speakers, where Pissarides and Sims also participated. Among the students who attended, Kaira Viteri indicated that “being in contact with the Nobel Prize winners, we get their passion for Economy and it encourages us to continue researching in areas of our interest”.

The closing ceremony of this annual meeting was attended by Kativuzca Yánez, representative of the Central Bank of Ecuador and Jack Robles Galán, General Intendant of Market Power Control. In this event, James Robinson, researcher, and lecturer of LACEA LAMES 2018 received the Carlos Díaz Alejandro Award, for his contribution to high-quality research on economic issues.

Leonardo Sanchez, dean of the FCSH, and who formed the organizing committee of the event, considers that "holding these conferences allows our Professors (from Espol) to have feedback on their knowledge based on the discussions and analysis dealt with in the conferences". In addition, he points out the importance of the students’ involvement in economics and econometrics to generate future researchers.