Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana

SERES (Sustainability and Ecology for the Restoration of Social Ecosystems)

Instagram | @seres.proyecto

The SERES EPIC Program was created in response to the growing socio ecological challenges faced by peri-urban communities in La Estrella, Antioquia, particularly related to climate change. food security, and environmental degradation driven by urban expansion. Building on prior collaborative work between the municipality, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, and ICLEI Colombia (including the project “Building Resilience with People and Nature”) SERES integrates academic research, teaching, and community engagement through a transdisciplinary approach. The program is developed by the Faculty of Architecture supported by the CIDI Research Center at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, with active participation from faculty in the School of Architecture, and is managed collaboratively by university researchers, local government representatives, and NGO partners. Its current focus is on nature-based solutions, ecological restoration, sustainable agriculture, and environmental education implemented through schools as platforms for social ecosystem restoration. The long-term vision of the program is to strengthen resilient, inclusive and sustainable social ecosystems that balance human activities with ecological systems and can be replicated and scaled to other urban and peri-urban contexts.

The SERES EPIC Program is built upon strong collaborative partnerships between academia, local government, international networks, and civil society organizations. The program emerged from and builds upon collaborative work developed in partnership with ARA, contributing to ecosystem-based adaptation frameworks and resilience-building processes that integrate social, environmental, and governance dimensions. SERES has been further strengthened through close collaboration with the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, the Municipality of La Estrella, and ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability, combining academic research, public policy, and on-the-ground implementation. Educational institutions, including primary and secondary schools, play a central role as community anchors and spaces for co-creation, knowledge exchange, and the replication of nature-based solutions.

The mission of the SERES EPIC Program is to promote the restoration of social ecosystems by integrating sustainability, ecology, and community engagement through nature-based solutions. The program works in peri-urban and urban contexts to strengthen food security, climate change adaptation, ecological restoration, and environmental education, while empowering local communities through participatory, transdisciplinary collaboration among academia, local governments, NGOs, and educational institutions.

Additionally, the integration of the classroom as a space for co-creation guides a significant portion of the program’s activities and shapes the content and pedagogical approaches of courses associated with the research project, aligning academic work with expected outcomes across different stages of implementation.

Fun Facts about Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana

Year Program Established | 2025
Country | Colombia
Public or Private Institution | Private
Number of students at institution | 42,330

Highlight Articles/Videos

SERES EPIC Program Instagram Profile
(Official social media page where ongoing program updates and community engagement are shared)

SERES Project Page (Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana)
(Institutional project description from UPB research portal)

City Partners

2024-2025 | La Estrella • Population: 78,143

Contact Info

SERES EPIC Program
Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana
Phone: (7) 679 6220
Website: https://portal.upb.edu.co/

Catalina Montoya Arenas
Phone: +57 604 354 4513
Email: catalina.montoyaarenas@upb.edu.co
Research Coordinator, School of Architecture and Design
Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana
Medellín, Colombia

Instagram: @seres.proyecto