KAMLOOPS – Thompson Rivers University (TRU) explores further collaboration with universities in Mexico, as the university welcomed a large delegation from the state of Querétaro.
Multiple memorandums of understanding were signed in Kamloops on Wednesday, March 1, during the delegation’s visit to TRU. The delegation, led by Querétaro Deputy Minister of Education Orfelinda Torres Rivier, are on a tour of colleges and universities throughout BC.
TRU Vice-President International Baihua Chadwick met with 11 delegates, including representatives from the Querétaro Universities Consortium. The visit also included university presidents, representatives from the region’s international departments and Lara Garza, Canadian federal trade commissioner from the Canadian Embassy in Mexico City.
“As we reflect and celebrate 40 years of international excellence and innovation at TRU, we look toward the future inspired by these collaborative relationships as an important milestone in the vision of internationalization at TRU,” Chadwick said.
This initiative paves the way to greater collaboration with the Querétaro Universities Consortium to create more opportunities for TRU students, faculty and staff. These include but are not limited to academic partnerships, short-term intensive programs, visiting students, joint research and student exchange. Representatives from TRU and the delegation recognize the mutual benefits to be gained through a co-operative relationship. These agreements can empower more students to join the TRU community from Mexico.
“Querétaro is among the four states in México that are considered the heart of the country in terms of the aeronautic, automobile manufacturing, data science and logistics industries,” said José Carlos Arredondo Vázquez, rector of the Technological University of Querétaro.
“We want to strengthen our links with Canada in terms of education. It’s beneficiary for both countries to convert our students into global citizens and to welcome them into our cultures, bringing them rich experiences that will cultivate their skills both academically and professionally.”
In alignment with BC’s new international education framework, the BC Council for International Education (BCCIE) recently led a delegation to Mexico focusing on partnership development and diversification. One of the results was an MOU with a consortium of six universities from Querétaro state. BCCIE and Mexico have been involved in several high-level events in this area, including the hosting of Advancing Indigenous Understanding of BC and Mexico Regions through Dialogue.
The Province of British Columbia has committed to advancing such academic partnerships between Mexico and BC in the past several years. This commitment represents a foundation of collaboration in higher education between the regions. Last June, two memoranda of understanding between BC and the states of Jalisco and Guanajuato were signed.
The delegation from Querétaro met with TRU President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Brett Fairbairn and key faculty and administrators to learn more about the university and its program and services.
“Being part of a broader collaborative effort is a great honour and empowers innovative progress. We appreciate BCCIE and the federal Government of Canada in their efforts to support international collaborations by bringing this important delegation to TRU,” Chadwick said.
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Contact:
Michelle Nordstrom, Senior Communications Consultant
Strategic Communications, TRU University Relations
mnordstrom@tru.ca | 250-852-6264
