The María Cano University Foundation, Neiva campus, through its Research Office led by Professor Gladys Tamayo Perdomo and in academic collaboration with Professor Leonardo Fabio Medina Ortíz, has been confirmed as an external partner in a research project approved by the Higher School of Public Administration (ESAP), within the framework of the National Call for Research Projects 2026–2027.

The project, entitled “Participatory Territorial Model for the Promotion of Youth Mental Health in Aipe, Huila: Community Governance from Local Public Administration,” received an outstanding evaluation, which allowed it to obtain funding and institutional support throughout its implementation process. This initiative seeks to strengthen local capacities for the care and promotion of mental health among young people, based on a participatory, territorial, and public governance approach.

In this context, the María Cano University Foundation will actively participate by contributing its academic and scientific expertise in mental health, public management, and community education, supporting the design, implementation, and evaluation of strategies aimed at youth well-being and institutional strengthening at the local level.

It is worth noting that the project will be carried out in coordination with the Municipal Mayor’s Office of Aipe and various actors from the quintuple helix ecosystem, strategically integrating the community, local government, academia, the productive sector, and the media. This convergence will enable a comprehensive and sustainable vision of territorial development, aligned with the real needs of the youth population.

Through its participation in this initiative, the María Cano University Foundation reaffirms its commitment to regional development, social transformation, and the generation of applied knowledge, consolidating itself as a key actor in high-impact projects aimed at strengthening public health and youth well-being in the southern region of the country.

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