The University of Illinois System yesterday opened its first office in Mexico City during a trip by a delegation of system leaders designed to strengthen ties to Mexican higher education, industry and government and explore areas for greater cooperation and partnership.
The new office is on the campus of Autonomous National University of Mexico (UNAM), the largest university in Latin America, and is part of the University of Illinois System Mexican & Mexican-American Students (I-MMÁS, pronounced I-MAS) initiative. I-MMÁS was created in 2021 to increase enrollment of Mexican students at the three system universities, as well as academic and research partnerships with universities, government agencies and private industry in Mexico.
The office will focus on student recruiting and alumni engagement, as well interactions with Mexican universities and the private sector. University of Illinois System President Tim Killeen was joined at the opening by other system leaders, including University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Robert Jones and University of Illinois Chicago Chancellor Javier Reyes.
“Our presence here in Mexico is a concrete step toward building more relationships with universities, companies and government agencies that will benefit the citizens of both Illinois and Mexico,” Killeen said during the four-day trip to the Mexican capital. “We are grateful to UNAM for hosting us on this beautiful, dynamic campus.”
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot joined Killeen at UNAM and said the new office will help open doors between the city and Mexico.
"The opening of the U of I System’s first international office here will pave the way for economic opportunity in both Chicago and Mexico while creating solutions for social and environmental challenges that transcend borders," Lightfoot said. "The National Autonomous University of Mexico's importance here in Mexico and across Latin America will lead to strong partnerships that will benefit Chicago and the state of Illinois."
Killeen and UNAM officials also announced an agreement to launch a program to provide seed grants to support joint research that will address problems related to poverty, the environment and sustainable human well-being. The research will focus on food and health, water and energy.
Killeen will meet with officials at National Institute of Medical Sciences, the National Council of Science and Technology and the National Polytechnic Institute today.
I-MMÁS and the new office in Mexico City are building on a history of collaboration between the U of I System and institutions in Mexico, including agreements signed in 2016 that initiated funding from Mexico’s National Council of Science and Technology to support doctoral studies for 10 Mexican students a year at system universities.
