University Ethics as a Social Practice: Symbolic Disputes and Public Responsibility at the Universidad Técnica Nacional

Abstract

University ethics at the National Technical University (UTN) is conceived as an essential pillar to ensure institutional integrity and public responsibility. Beyond regulatory compliance, ethics is understood as a social, cultural, and historical practice that guides staff decisions within a context marked by power relations, organizational tensions, and symbolic disputes. The Code of Ethics, approved in 2015, seeks to regulate professional behavior and strengthen internal cohesion by promoting values such as justice, equity, and transparency. However, its predominantly legal approach is insufficient to address contemporary challenges: structural inequalities, technological acceleration, virtualization, internationalization, and the use of artificial intelligence. These changes demand a substantial update of the Code, oriented toward a more relational, dialogical, and contextualized ethics capable of addressing emerging phenomena and ensuring academic integrity. UTN, as a humanistic institution, must conceive ethics not only as a regulatory mechanism but also as a formative resource that fosters critical awareness and collective responsibility. In this sense, university ethics becomes a key axis of organizational culture, legitimizing public decisions and strengthening social trust. Updating the Code is not an administrative procedure but an essential condition for the university to respond thoughtfully and responsibly to the challenges of a dynamic, diverse, and deeply unequal world.