February 6, 2017

The University of Houston (UH) has signed a strategic agreement to partner with the Mexican government. This agreement allows Mexican students to pursue graduate education at UH and allows UH students and faculty to spend research time in Mexico. Paula Myrick Short, UHS senior vice chancellor for academic affairs and UH senior vice president for academic affairs and provost formalized the agreement in September 2016 along with Jaime Ortiz, UH vice provost for UH Global. Dr. Francisco Robles Hernández, associate professor in the College of Technology, will serve as the liaison and facilitator of this initiative.

UH’s partnership with CONACyT not only expands UH graduate programs, but also provides dedicated funding to support those programs. CONACyT offered 58,000 scholarships to students worldwide in 2015 and has offered more than 330,000 since 1971.  Out of those scholarships, more than 60,000 were offered for Mexican students to pursue their graduate students internationally.

“This is an invaluable relationship that will bring to UH a large number of graduate students to promote diversity and expand our graduate programs” said Provost Paula Myrick Short. “This window of opportunity is ideal not only to exchange students, but also to strengthen the research collaborations between Mexico and the United States.”

This funding partnership could lead to increased international students attending UH. Additional partnerships with Mexican institutions of higher education, including the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (Tecnológico de Monterrey), further connect UH and Mexico.

UH’s reputation of a top university with strong researchers connected to the energy and medical industries factored in CONACyT’s decision for partnership. This opportunity will help UH’s faculty to pursue research as visiting scholars and allow undergraduate students to pursue international education. The partnership furthers the collaboration between UH faculty members and Mexican institutions; faculty already have partnerships with institutions such as CIMAV Chihuahua, the National Polytechnic Institute, CINVESTAV, and the Autonomous University of Michoacan, and Tecnológico de Monterrey.

“We hope to replicate this strategic approach around the world in countries such as Brazil, Chile, the People’s Republic of China, and South Korea” said Dr. Jaime Ortiz.

The program could bring hundreds of students to UH in the years to come. In addition to funded students, CONACyT also offers short term exchange opportunities for graduate students enrolled at a Mexican institution as well as UH graduate students. The program includes a stipend of up to six (6) months for a master’s degree or twelve (12) months for a doctoral degree. Students would conduct research at UH with the intention of receiving their degree in Mexico, with the hope that students would return to UH for their doctoral degree or postdoctoral research.  

“UH is continually searching for partnerships worldwide, and this partnership lays the groundwork for our students and faculty to define their scholarship globally” said Provost Short. “I can only hope that we continue to make strides in providing a global education for our undergraduate and graduate students.”

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About the Office of the Provost
The Office of the Provost houses the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost responsible for student access and success. The Office of the Provost initiates and oversees a broad range of programs which benefit students throughout the University of Houston and the community, including undergraduate, graduate, continuing and distance education programs, as well as all academic programs and policies. The Office of the Provost also oversees faculty appointment, promotion, and tenure.

About the University of Houston
The University of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the nation’s best colleges for undergraduate education. UH serves the globally competitive Houston and Gulf Coast Region by providing world-class faculty, experiential learning and strategic industry partnerships. Located in the nation’s fourth-largest city, UH serves more than 39,500 students in the most ethnically and culturally diverse region in the country.