Dr. Irma Alicia Flores Hinojos
Associate Professor, Universidad de los Andes, Colombia
A global leader in participatory pedagogy, championing community-engaged scholarship to democratize knowledge, rebalance power, and empower social change.
Dr. Flores is a prominent scholar-practitioner at the nexus of education, social justice, and community engagement. With over 25 years of experience spanning three countries, her work is anchored in a profound commitment to research methodologies that are not just tools for data collection, but instruments of transformation.
← Back to All SpeakersA Global Architect of Engaged Scholarship
Dr. Flores's influence extends globally through her pivotal leadership within the UNESCO Chair in Community-Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education. She is a foundational figure in a worldwide movement to build capacity for transformative community-university partnerships.
Her role within the flagship Knowledge for Change (K4C) Global Consortium is not peripheral; she is an architect of its mission:
- Foundational Pioneer: Trained in the very first cohort of the K4C Mentor Training Program, positioning her as a pioneer of this global initiative.
- Regional Coordinator: Serves as the Co-ordinator for the Colombia K4C Hub, a partnership dedicated to fostering high-impact Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) projects.
- Global Mentor: Directly builds global capacity by co-leading training residencies and mentoring a new generation of engaged scholars from around the world.
She is an exemplar of how local, practice-based expertise can be scaled into global influence, demonstrating a powerful synergy between local action and systemic change.
The Art and Ethos of Participatory Research
For Dr. Flores, the choice of a research methodology is an ethical and political act. Her work is a masterclass in how to conduct research that embodies the very values of empowerment and collaboration it seeks to understand.
Her research philosophy directly challenges conventional academic hierarchies by championing methodologies that are instruments of social change:
- Rebalancing Power: Her work explicitly seeks to shift power from the solitary researcher to the community of participants, fostering inclusion and democratic decision-making.
- Decolonizing Knowledge: She advocates for validating local, indigenous, and community-held knowledge systems as essential to solving complex problems.
- Systemic-Complex Thinking: Her research is grounded in a framework that views educational institutions as complex, adaptive systems, allowing her to analyze the deep-seated cultural dynamics that shape them.
Her keynote promises to offer profound insights into a research paradigm where the "how" and the "what" of scholarship are powerfully aligned to co-construct a more equitable world.
Academic and Professional Trajectory
Dr. Flores's distinguished career is built upon a rich, interdisciplinary, and international foundation that equips her with a unique framework for addressing complex educational challenges.
| Degree / Specialization | Institution | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Doctorate in Social Sciences, Childhood and Youth | University of Manizales-CINDE | Colombia |
| Master's in Educational and Social Development | National Pedagogical University | Colombia |
| Master's in Clinical Psychology | Not Specified | Not Specified |
| Specialization in Systemic Family Psychotherapy | SINAPSIS | Not Specified |
| Specialization in Community Development | Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) | Japan |
| Bachelor's Degree in Psychology | National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) | Mexico |
With over two decades of experience, Dr. Flores has made significant contributions to higher education in Colombia. She is currently an Associate Professor at the prestigious Universidad de los Andes. Her previous roles at a wide array of institutions, including the University of Ibagué, San Buenaventura, Nacional de Colombia, and Santo Tomás, have given her a comprehensive understanding of diverse institutional contexts.