Research interests:
- Commercial and Business Law in Latin America and ChinaFocus on commercial law and business law, with emphasis on corporate governance, banking regulation, and contract law in Latin America and China.
- International Investment Law and Comparative Foreign Investment RegimesStudy of international investment law, including Chinese foreign investment law and comparative analyses of investment screening and national security review (e.g. Germany–China, Ecuador–China).
- Women’s Rights, Gender Equality, and Corporate GovernanceResearch on women’s rights, gender equality, and the role of women in economic development, corporate leadership, and board diversity, particularly in emerging economies and China–Latin America relations.
- Sustainable Development, SDGs, and Just TransitionsExamination of sustainable development principles and the Sustainable Development Goals, with attention to electric vehicles, social protection, and inclusive regulatory frameworks for green and digital transitions.
- Digitalization, Data Governance, and Platform Economy RegulationAnalysis of digitalization, data privacy and data protection (including legal issues in Internet courts), financial crime, and regulatory challenges in platform and collaborative economies.
- AI, Online Courts, and Access to JusticeEmerging work on the use of artificial intelligence in online courts and justice systems, exploring due process, fairness, and data driven decision making in digital dispute resolution
Educational Background:
PhD in International Law, China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL), Beijing, China, 2021–2025, with a full scholarship from the Government of the People’s Republic of China.
Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International Business, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai, China, 2019–2021, also with a full Chinese government scholarship.
Specialization in Business Law, Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar, Quito, Ecuador, 2018–2019.
Law degree (Lawyer of the Courts and Tribunals of the Republic of Ecuador), Universidad de las Américas, Quito, Ecuador, 2010–2016, with professional registration No. 17-2016-913.
Work Experience:
Postdoctoral Researcher, Sun Yat-sen University, from December 2025, focusing on international law–related topics (as listed in her publications and interests).
Doctoral Project Tutor, Master’s in Sustainability and ESG Management, Universitat de Barcelona, from 2026–2027 edition.
Founder, China–Latin America Innovation Network, established in 2026 and registered with the Ministry of Education, promoting innovation and legal–economic cooperation.
Tutor and Research Project Supervisor, Master of Law, Universidad de Otavalo, 2023–2025.
Earlier professional roles include:
Investment and Contract Advisor, Development Bank of Ecuador (BDE), October 2021–August 2022, working on contract review, legal criteria, public investment committees, public procurement, and drafting banking/finance agreements.
Researcher for Latin America, Restless Development & Dubai Cares Foundation, March 2021–July 2021, focusing on education and the future of work for young people in Latin America, including data collection, analysis, and report drafting for Dubai Cares.
Lawyer, Armenariz Fabara Associate Lawyers, July 2016–September 2018, providing corporate, labor, contractual, intellectual property, and litigation advice, and handling company incorporation, mergers, and other corporate procedures.
Academic Activities:
Paper
- Conference panelist at events such as:
- European China Law Studies Association Annual Conference, Hong Kong, 2024.
- Oxford Chinese Law Conference, 2024.
- Ninth Legal Storytelling Conference, London, 2023.
- International Consumer Law Association Conference, Hamburg, 2023.
- New Directions in Law and Society, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2022.
- European China Law Studies Conference, Copenhagen, 2022.
- Istanbul Youth Summit “Youth Breaking Borders,” where she was panelist and Best Female Delegate, 2021.
- Visiting positions and fellowships:
- Visiting scholar at the Institute of Private Law, Heidelberg University, Germany, June–August 2023.
- Visiting researcher at iCourts, University of Copenhagen, focusing on international, business, and comparative law, October–November 2023.
- Fellowship at Tencent and Director for the Latin America Hub, 2023–2024.
- Elected Vice Chair for the China IP Issues Committee, American Bar Association, 2024–2025.
She is also founder of the Umalliq Foundation, registered under the Ministry of Women and Human Rights in Ecuador, which promotes female empowerment and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Books and theses
Carolina has authored one main book and several theses in Spanish, in addition to multiple journal articles.
- Book: “Legal Analysis on the National Security Review: A Comparative Study between Germany and China,” available on Google Play Books.
- Bachelor’s thesis: “El error en la liquidación de la tarjeta de crédito y su afectación en la calificación de riesgo del deudor” (Udla, Quito, 2016), on credit card settlement errors and their impact on debtor risk ratings.
- Specialization thesis: “Necesidad de un régimen de seguridad social para los participantes en la economía colaborativa” (UASB, Quito, 2019), on the need for social security regimes for participants in the collaborative/platform economy.
Articles and reviews in Spanish
Her Spanish-language publications cover corporate law, labor law, entrepreneurship, gender, and indigenous women’s rights.
- Book reviews in legal journals, including:
- Review “Promoviendo la justicia propia, dejando atrás un trato indigno,” in Revista Cálamo de Estudios Jurídicos (2014).
- Review of “Trabajo decente para los trabajadores de ‘Ride Hailing’ en la economía de plataformas en Cali, Colombia,” in Revista de Derecho, Universidad de los Andes (2019).
- Judicial and legal articles in newspapers and magazines such as Diario La Hora, Revista Novedades Jurídicas, Revista Resistencia, and others, on topics including:
- Domestic and gender violence.
- Relationship between businesses and law, micro entrepreneurship, and legal guides for entrepreneurs.
- Labor legislation as a key element for enterprises, and competitive advantage through legal compliance or violation.
- Collaborative economy companies as new business models.
- Corporate social responsibility, artisans’ legal status in Ecuador, and gender equality in companies.
- Indigenous women’s rights and realities, and gender equality and women’s empowerment as an unfinished task.
Publications in English and indexed journals
Carolina also publishes in English in international journals and think tanks.
- “The Effect of Gender Equality on Economic Development in China. Law Codes and Women,” in Iustoria, Faculty of Law, University of Belgrade.
- “China Public Policy Challenges with the New Information Technologies,” in the International Journal of Advance Contemporary Research, Volume 6, Issue 2.
- “Public-Private Partnership (PPPs) in Ecuador and China,” in Asia Pacific Law & Policy Review (APLPR), Volume 6.
- “Which are the Legal Issues Surrounding Data Privacy in Internet Courts?” in Tuijin Jishu / Journal of Propulsion Technology, Vol. 44 No. 6 (Scopus journal).
She has also written policy-oriented short pieces on China’s Foreign Investment Law:
- “The New Foreign Investment Law in China,” Monthly e Newsletter, August 2020.
- “China’s New Foreign Investment Law brings changes to corporate structure,” October 2020.
Global Research Network and other outputs
Carolina collaborates with the Global Research Network and similar organizations, focusing on corporate governance and financial crime.
- Blogs / think tank pieces with Global Research Network:
- “Board Diversity: The Way Forward,” 2021.
- “Evolution of Financial Crime,” 2021.
- “The Role of Whistleblower in Combatting Financial Crime,” 2021.
- Additional online and magazine publications include:
- “The Role of Electric Vehicles in Sustainable Development,” European Guanxi, February 5, 2025.
- “Carolina Fabara: Un aliado para la transformación digital,” in China Today Magazine, June 4, 2025.
Podcasts and media
Carolina has also shared her work and experience through podcasts in English and Spanish.
- English podcasts with Global Research Network:
- “Financial Whistleblowing,” June 26, 2021.
- “Why Have Diverse Board of Directors,” July 26, 2021
