As a sign of goodwill between two international educational institutions, UTD officials from the Center for U.S.-Mexico Studies and the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education in Mexico (ITESM-Monterrey) have signed collaboration agreements promoting enhanced scholarship for faculty, staff and students at both universities.
The first collaboration agreement involves the setup of an Internet lecture series for Monterrey students who are pursuing graduate studies at UTD. Through this agreement, UTD professors will have the opportunity to give guest lectures over the Internet to students at ITESM-Monterrey.
Director for the Center for U.S.-Mexico Studies Rodolfo Hernandez Guerrero said this first agreement is valuable both for the UTD campus as well as ITESM-Monterrey.
“(ITESM-Monterrey’s) emphasis is on science and technology. So, in that, we have a very similar institution as UTD,” Guerrero said. “That’s also a good reason to explain why we have this commitment and interest in working together.”
The second collaboration agreement is between UTD and the ITESM System throughout Mexico. The agreement allows for more open communication and scholarship between both schools.
“(It’s) a mechanism to increase a good understanding between students, faculty and staff on this side of the border and the other side of the border,” Guerrero said.
Guerrero and other employees at the Center for U.S.-Mexico Studies were key agents in setting up these collaborative agreements with ITESM and ITESM-Monterrey. Guerrero said these agreements help foster what the Center considers part of its agenda – recognition for the need of UTD given its geographic location.
On Aug. 17, an official signing ceremony between UTD and ITESM-Monterrey took place in the McDermott Suite of the McDermott Library.
Considered by many as one of the best private universities in Mexico, ITESM receives high marks in terms of quality, infrastructure and research. In addition, ITESM is often perceived to be the leading academic institution within Latin America. ITESM’s long distance education programs exist in countries such as Columbia, Venezuela, Peru and Argentina.
“It’s a leader in terms of how this institution is developing its international agenda,” Guerrero said. “In that respect, we as an institution at UTD have a lot to learn.”