Cambridge: Collaboration with Mexico

A senior delegation from Mexico’s National Council of Science and Technology, Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT) visited Cambridge University to sign agreements on future collaborations, including a new scholarship programme, and to meet with academics, spin-out companies and Mexican students currently working in Cambridge.

CONACYT was established in 1970, as the Mexican government’s advisory body, in charge of implementing public policies on behalf of the Federal Government, to promote scientific and technological research, innovation and technological development.

The delegation was led by Juan Carlos Romero Hicks, the Director General, accompanied by Silvia Alvarez Bruneliere, Deputy Director General of Scholarships and Manuel Ontiveros Jiménez, Deputy Director General of International Affairs. They were joined by the Minister for Cultural Affairs from the Mexican Embassy in London, Ignacio Durán Loera.

The visit began with a formal signing ceremony with Jennifer Barnes, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for International Strategy signing an agreement aimed at strengthening the relationship between CONACYT and Cambridge, and increasing cooperation in biotechnology, energy and environment, engineering and applied sciences, computer sciences and information technology, and applied mathematics and modelling.

Michael O'Sullivan, Director of the Cambridge Overseas Trust, then signed an agreement with CONACYT setting up a co-funded scholarship scheme for ten Mexican students each year to start doctoral studies in the above fields.