The British Council and Mexico’s National Council for Science and Technology (CONACyT) recently signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand the realm of their academic collaboration and institutional partnerships.
The MoU was ratified during a meeting hosted by the British Council with major academic institutions of the UK. Dr. Julia Tagüeña, CONACyT’s Assistant Director for Scientific Development, said, “The MOU with the British Council is extremely important in driving forward our agendas in terms of developing young researchers and their international links, as well as wider international collaboration. This agreement would provide major opportunities for much greater links with the UK.”
The new MoU specifies on enhancing human research capabilities and capacities in both the UK and Mexico. To garner more fluid academic interactions, the MoU will also focus on the understanding and alignment between academic sectors in both countries, as well as on expanding the window of opportunities for long-term relationships including but not limited to joint-research collaborations, mostly aimed toward post-graduate students.
As the number of Mexican college students studying in the UK is continually increasing, the MoU will boost the UK and Mexico as optimum research partners for each other. The UK is currently the second most popular study abroad destination for Mexican students. Just between 2011 and 2012, 1,970 Mexican students came to the UK.
The British Council and CONACyT will conjointly fund a program fostering career development and post-graduate research projects. Such projects will give a particular attention to priority fields including: Nanosciences, nanotechnology, biotechnology, and health care sciences and technology.
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