TRU Expands Ties with Mexico Through International Education Efforts

Thompson Rivers University (TRU) is enhancing its ties with Mexico and Latin America by joining the Canada and Latin America Research & Exchange Opportunities Consortium (CALAREO), which aims to promote student exchange, research partnerships, and scholarships among Canadian and Latin American institutions.

In mid-March, TRU representatives Dr. Juan Felipe Mejía Mejía, head of Transnational Education, and Colin Doerr, principal of Global Matters, traveled to Querétaro, Mexico, as members of a CALAREO delegation. While they were visiting, they collaborated with institutional partners to promote initiatives in student mobility, research partnerships, and institutional growth.

The TRU delegation additionally engaged with officials from the Mexican government and institutional partners in Mexico City, strengthening ties and seeking new collaboration opportunities. These initiatives underscore TRU's dedication to establishing meaningful educational and research collaborations with Mexico while boosting global involvement.

As a finale to their journey, TRU collaborated with the Canadian-Mexican Chamber of Commerce in Mexico City and the Canadian Embassy to organize a networking event titled Investing in International Education in Uncertain Times, which took place on March 13 in Mexico City. The gathering united professionals and stakeholders to examine international partnerships in education, business, and investment, highlighting TRU's role in global collaboration.

Apart from this journey, TRU's participation in CALAREO has already produced concrete results. Dr. John Church, a Natural Resource Science professor, utilized CALAREO funding to journey to Brazil and enhance his research on new precision ranching technology. This pioneering effort emphasizes sustainable methods to enhance the livestock sector. As a consequence of this collaboration, TRU is now hosting a research student from Brazil's Universidade Comunitária de Santa Catarina, marking a new international partnership for TRU facilitated by the teamwork through CALAREO.

"By engaging with CALAREO and collaborating with Mexican institutions, we are not only promoting research and innovation but also fostering connections that enhance cross-cultural education and sustainable development," stated Baihua Chadwick, TRU vice-president International.