NSHE Seeks International System-wide Partnerships

NSHE Chancellor Thom Reilly announced agreements with two Mexican higher education systems as potential partners with all eight Nevada public higher education institutions.

“I, along with Regent’s Chair Kevin J. Page and other NSHE leaders, have been working to explore system-wide international opportunities that will develop research prospects, increase student opportunities, and boost our system’s standing nationally and internationally,” said Reilly. “We must develop these relationships by pushing our one system approach to higher education as we offer a diversity of certificates, degrees, and research opportunities via our eight institutions.”

In September, a NSHE delegation, including Page and Reilly, along with UNLV President Marta Meana, UNR President Marc Johnson, and DRI President Kristen Averyt, traveled to Mexicali, Baja California, to explore potential collaboration with CETYS University, an institution focused on trans-border research opportunities and student and faculty exchanges.

CETYS University, or Centro de Enseñanza Técnica y Superior, is a three-campus university system focused on engineering, business, and social sciences. It is is one of the top five private not for profit universities, one of the top twenty private or public universities in Mexico, and one of only five from Mexico accredited in the U.S.

The delegation focused on three collaborative opportunities, including water research, business entrepreneurship, and engineering in terms of autonomous systems research (drones)and teaching opportunities.
Representatives from CETYS will next visit Nevada and NSHE institutions to further explore these potential collaborative opportunities.

Earlier this month, leaders from the Mexican state of Tamaulipas visited NSHE institutions in southern and northern Nevada to discuss partnering to provide English as a Second Language training to their higher education faculty and students and develop student exchange opportunities. Recently the state of Tamaulipas in Mexico required their higher education institutions to offer courses in both Spanish and English.

CSN President Federico Zaragoza and WNC President Vincent Solis played a key role in helping establish this relationship.

“The delegation from Tamaulipas were attracted to Nevada because they could negotiate with an entire system of higher education instead of individual institutions,” Solis said.

Other potential collaborations included sustainable energy programs, STEAM programs, workforce programs, and business startup programs.

“These potential partnerships could yield tremendous results in terms of creating a pipeline of students and faculty to all of NSHE’s institutions,” said Regent Page. “I look forward to continuing to grow these opportunities that will benefit our entire system.”