Delegation of Canadian university presidents visits Mexico

According to the website universityaffairs.ca, exploring avenues for increased student mobility and research collaboration in areas such as climate change, energy sustainability as well as Indigenous issues are the core objectives of the upcoming Universities Canada mission to Mexico, happening from May 22 to 25.

Following up on an initial visit by a Universities Canada delegation in 2014, the team heading to Mexico is made up of nine university presidents and other invited guests. Against a backdrop of strengthening relations between Mexico and Canada, the timing of the mission could not be better, said Cindy McIntyre, Universities Canada’s assistant director of international relations.

“The Canada-Mexico relationship is more important than ever,” said Ms. McIntyre. “As Canada works to renew and deepen this relationship, Canadian universities’ partnerships with Mexican higher education, government and private sector organizations are an asset to be leveraged.”

Her comments were echoed by Guy Laforest, director general of École nationale d’administration publique (ENAP): “Mexico is an extremely important partner in the context of the renegotiation of NAFTA [the North American Free Trade Agreement].”

One of Dr. Laforest’s personal objectives for the mission is to “promote research into comparative federalism and Canadian studies.” Dr. Laforest, who is also president of the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences, has previously presented his research in Mexico, and is due to give a lecture on federalism – his field of expertise – at the beginning of the trip.

Click here for full article by Pascale Castonguay for universityaffairs.ca