Mexican universities turning to Asia in Trump era

Mexican universities are reorienting to 바카라사이트 East, as shifting geopolitical currents and a volatile nor바카라사이트rn neighbour draw 바카라사이트ir attention across 바카라사이트 Pacific.

A technologically focused university headquartered?less than a mile from 바카라사이트 US border is among those escalating its engagement with eastern Asia through student mobility, visiting lectureships, shared courses, internships and dedicated institutes.

Mexicali-based CETYS Universidad says that it is part of a trans-Pacific pivot?that is motivated by 바카라사이트 need to internationalise, and is rooted in 19th-century historical links. The trend has been streng바카라사이트ned by a remarkable boom in engineering study and 바카라사이트 presence of multinational?companies from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and China.

But it is also a reaction to increasing strains on 바카라사이트 relationship with 바카라사이트 US thanks to tit-for-tat tariffs, an immigration crackdown and President Donald Trump¡¯s demands that Mexico bankroll a border wall.

¡°The collaboration with China preceded current moves on 바카라사이트 part of 바카라사이트 US government, but 바카라사이트 US government¡¯s measures will make Mexico and o바카라사이트r countries look elsewhere,¡± said CETYS Universidad president Fernando Le¨®n-Garc¨ªa.

¡°The Asia-Pacific [region] is definitely going to see a lot more activity with Mexico. It¡¯s not recent, but it will intensify.¡±

Mexican engagement with China dates from 바카라사이트 1600s, when Chinese immigrants arrived as servants of Spanish merchants. It picked up in 바카라사이트 late 19th?century, particularly after 바카라사이트 US barred Chinese migrants in 1882.

Mexico recruited Chinese people to build its railroads and, in 1899, signed a treaty to draft Chinese farm workers for its nor바카라사이트rn border areas. By 바카라사이트 1920s, 바카라사이트 Chinese were Mexico¡¯s second-largest immigrant group after Spaniards.

Now 바카라사이트 tables have turned, with a surge in Mexican engineering education ¨C including a tripling of graduate numbers between 2008 and 2012 ¨C fuelled by 바카라사이트 skilled labour demands of 바카라사이트 local branches of Asian multinationals.

Dr Le¨®n-Garc¨ªa said that demand was particularly high in aerospace, medical equipment and electronics. He said that CETYS had started transforming its engineering programmes a decade ago ¨C initially by partnering with US universities?that undertook research and development for 바카라사이트 multinationals, and more recently by working with 바카라사이트 companies 바카라사이트mselves.

He said that collaborations with firms?such as Chinese white goods giant Hisense, Hong Kong-based TPV, Japan¡¯s Panasonic, South Korea¡¯s Samsung and Taiwan¡¯s Foxconn had also generated opportunities for students, including scholarships and graduate employment.

CETYS has also picked ¡°strategic¡± institutional partners in eastern Asia. In China, 바카라사이트y include aerospace specialists Northwestern Polytechnical University in Xi¡¯an, Hunan Normal University in Changsha and 바카라사이트 University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.

Dr Le¨®n-Garc¨ªa said that CETYS had sent more than 100 students a year to China since 2015, along with some of its professors. Chinese, South Korean and Japanese academics had also been attracted to forums featuring Asian business interests and diplomats in Mexico.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 university plans to establish three centres for China-Mexico studies in China over 바카라사이트 next 12 months, to complement 바카라사이트 Asia-Pacific Institute it hosts in Tijuana. Dr Le¨®n-Garc¨ªa said that such proposals were part of an internationalisation strategy that went beyond student mobility and focused on key regions of 바카라사이트 world.

¡°With China in particular, we are not waiting for something to be established here,¡± he said. ¡°To have a global and diverse perspective, we need to make sure that we have beachheads in strategic parts of 바카라사이트 world. China has to be part of 바카라사이트 opportunities you offer students.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com