Canada-Mexico connection strengthened through Universities Canada mission

Last week, University of Calgary President Elizabeth Cannon participated in a delegation of Canadian university presidents in Mexico City, led by Universities Canada. This mission was a part of the ongoing work to highlight Canada as an open, diverse and welcoming place for study, research and innovation collaboration.

• University of Calgary President Elizabeth Cannon is pictured above, second from left, with Dr. Jaime Cervantes de Gortari, member of the Mexican Academy of Engineering (MAE), far left, and Ing. José Antonio Esteva Maraboto, secretary of the MAE, Dr. Guillermo José Aguirre Esponda, president of the Mechanical Engineering Commission, MAE, and Dr. José Luis Fernándes, member of the MAE.

Partnerships between Canadian and Mexican universities play an important strategic role as Canada works to renew and deepen trade and political ties with Mexico. Examples of these partnerships include:

• Research internships for UCalgary students at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM)
• A visiting Mexico Chair program that brings a faculty member from a Mexican university each year to UCalgary
• A range of institutional hydrocarbon research collaborations, and professorial research collaborations in areas such as archaeology, anthropology, social work, political science, history, environmental design, among others

Given the energy reform underway in Mexico, a high priority currently is placed on collaboration in the energy sector. As such, the Mexican government has invested approximately $46 million in hydrocarbon research collaboration with UCalgary.

Additionally, on May 21, Cannon was inducted into the Mexican Academy of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Commission, based on her outstanding contributions to science and engineering in Canada and the world.

“It is an honour to be recognized by the Mexican Academy of Engineering and to further our work to strengthen the vital relationship between Canada and Mexico,” says Cannon.

During the induction, Cannon presented her paper on strategic planning in higher education, highlighting the importance of finding differentiators and maintaining a competitive and entrepreneurial culture.

Dr. Jaime Parada Ávila, president of the Academy of Engineering of Mexico, recognized Cannon’s professional expertise and leadership as well as the importance of building their capacity for innovation and training young people in related engineering disciplines in Mexico.

While in Mexico, Cannon also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on behalf of the University of Calgary with Universidad Iberoamericana. This MOU is the precursor to a detailed collaboration agreement for diabetes research led by Canada and Mexico with UCalgary’s O’Brien Institute for Public Health announced earlier this month.