First national congress on academic counseling - UNAD living academic counseling

The proceedings of the First National Congress of Academic Counseling of the Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia (UNAD) gather experiences, reflections and academic developments related to the role of academic counseling in distance higher education. The purpose of the event was to make visible the work of the National Academic Counseling System and its collaboration with UNAD's pedagogical model, highlighting strategies aimed at inclusion, student retention and comprehensive support to applicants, students and graduates. The compiled papers address three main thematic axes: academic counseling in the institutional context, its relationship with the socio-cultural diversity of the country and its social impact in educational scenarios mediated by digital technologies. The contributions include case studies, professional praxis experiences, pedagogical analysis and intervention proposals oriented to diverse populations, such as indigenous communities, older adults and students at risk of dropping out of school. Likewise, strategies for orientation, induction, psychosocial support and strengthening of academic and digital competencies are examined, in coherence with the institutional policies of inclusion and educational quality. The proceedings reflect an interdisciplinary approach that integrates education, psychology, pedagogy and information technologies, providing relevant inputs for the understanding and strengthening of academic counseling in open and distance higher education contexts.