On November 10^th, 2017, the Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association and the Latin American Meeting Econometric Society designated ESPOL University, as the headquarter for the LACEA LAMES Meeting 2018, the most important event in the field of economics and econometrics.

This designation took place during the 20^th Annual LACEA LAMES Meeting 2017 held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Humanities of ESPOL, Leonardo Sánchez Aragón, together with the coordinator for ESPOL of the LACEA LAMES Meeting 2018, Nereyda Espinoza Velasteguí, received the official designation.

The LACEA LAMES Meeting 2018 is supported by the Municipality of Guayaquil, Central Bank of Ecuador, The Private Bank Association of Ecuador and National Financial Corporation.