With a remarkable turnout of over 425 participants connected from different regions of Colombia, the Neiva campus of Fundación Universitaria María Cano officially launched the 1st International Congress on Ergonomics 2025: Innovation, Well-being, and Sustainability. The event features 18 speakers from six countries and presents a high-level academic agenda that, over the course of two days, bridges scientific research with professional practice, fostering knowledge transfer among universities, businesses, government entities, and international experts in ergonomics.

The Congress embodies María Cano’s ongoing commitment to its mission of social outreach through education and research, building strong ties with local, regional, and national communities. The institution consolidates its continuing education strategy by designing innovative learning experiences that respond to real-world challenges. Additionally, it strengthens its innovation and entrepreneurship policy, promoting creativity and the development of human and social capital through transversal academic initiatives.

In a global context where digital transformation and automation are rapidly reshaping work environments, ergonomics stands out as a strategic discipline. It enables the understanding, adaptation, and redesign of work systems centered around human needs. The rise of technologies such as artificial intelligence, remote work, and virtual/augmented reality requires new skills and perspectives to ensure worker well-being, organizational sustainability, and the prevention of occupational illnesses.

This Congress is particularly relevant given the shared challenges faced by Latin America, including labor informality, limited specialization in ergonomics, overemphasis on physical aspects, and restricted access to applied technology. More than just an academic event, the Congress serves as a platform for social impact and action, reinforcing professional capacities, encouraging interdisciplinary dialogue, and driving solutions tailored to today’s workplace challenges.

Through this first International Congress, Fundación Universitaria María Cano is positioning ergonomics as a key pillar of human and productive development, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those related to decent work, health and well-being, innovation, and quality education. The Neiva campus emerges as a forward-thinking venue that promotes collaboration among academia, industry, and society, reaffirming the role of higher education as a catalyst for transformation in increasingly digital and dynamic work environments.

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