UDLAP Was Host for Several International Institutions

Universidad de las Américas Puebla, in its continuous outreach to international academic institutions, served as host for the IPBS (International Partnership of Business Schools) meeting, where several points regarding dual programs were discussed to create new alliances and encourage mobility among students and professors.

Dr. Cecilia Anaya Berríos, Academic Vice President, welcomed the delegates of the association and wished them a happy stay and a productive meeting in which they reach agreements. “It is also very important that you get to know more about Mexico, and that you get closer to the students who come to visit you”, she stated.

Dr. Ingrid Kirschning Albers, Global Education Dean, explained in an interview that the IPBS meets twice a year to discuss new alliances, review the status of current dual programs, solve any problems, and continue reinforcing relationships between its members: Reutlingen University, Northeastern University, Reims University, Dublin City University, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, and Universidad de las Américas Puebla.

This was the spring meeting, and its focus was on new dual licenciatura and graduate programs as well as the acceptance of Brock University as a new member. For this purpose, they divided into two work committees and reviewed, during two days, the strategies for students to have an international exposure in business, providing them with a strong international projection for the member universities, and promoting mobility not only of students but also of faculty. “Our final objective is for students to be global citizens and acquire business competencies in international business and administration”, stated Ingrid Kirschning.

The IPBS is a group of higher education institutions that trust each other´s quality, exchange experiences, and support each other to continuously accredit themselves. Universidad de las Américas Puebla is the only Mexican university in this group, with an average of 30 to 40 students in dual programs, according to the UDLAP´s dean.

UDLAP and a US University Will Combine Actions for an Academic Exchange

Universidad de las Américas Puebla and Virginia Commonwealth University will develop an exchange program for Physics students from both institutions, focused on language training and support for local communities, thanks to funding received from the US Department of State through the education initiative 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund.

In the global context, universities continuously seek to establish student exchange programs abroad, not only for academic reasons but also for social ones, to train young people committed to their profession and their community. The US government has several initiatives to support mobility programs for students and faculty from other countries. One of these actions is the 100,000 Strong in the Americas program, an innovation fund that encourages American institutions to associate with Latin American universities to create bilateral training opportunities.

The idea is to grant scholarships to university teams who, through a contest, propose a project for their students to develop technical skills in diverse disciplines through joint labor. “The plan is to create synergy in academic, research, and work exchanges. In our case, the project is to take science workshops to Telesecundarias (distance-learning junior high schools) in Mexico, and to underprivileged communities in the US”, explained Dr. Melina Gómez Bock, a faculty member of the Actuarial Sciences, Physics, and Math Department at UDLAP and leader of the presentation process.

Virginia Commonwealth University found this project attractive and, for several months now, both universities have been working closely to develop a project. It was presented and accepted, earning a grant that will support with paid expenses American and Mexican students for activities related to the development of teaching and outreach strategies in science. “We hope that they will participate in the summer of next year. We will send students from Universidad de las Américas Puebla’s Physics Department and receive students from Virginia Commonwealth University at the same time”, stated Erika Barba Salce, head of the UDLAP International Programs Department.

With the experience that they gain, it is expected that they will work with other academic departments from Universidad de las Américas Puebla, so that the doors will open not only for students from Virginia but from other places in the United States, since the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund has different calls throughout the year for different knowledge areas in which UDLAP wishes to participate. “For UDLAP, these achievements are always important because they are the result of a collaboration from different areas of the institution, and they highlight the recognition and support of international organizations towards our institution. From now on, the work is for the Department of Actuarial Sciences, Physics, and Mathematics and the International Affairs Department, who have to carry out what was proposed in the call”, added Dr. Sergio Picazo Vela, Dean of Research and Graduate Studies.

UDLAP Will Host the ANUIES-TIC 2018 Meeting

“Mexico is one of the top 10 countries in the world with the most cyber security problems”, stated Hugo López Álvarez, director of Web Development and Social Media at UDLAP. This topic, along with others, will be discussed in the ANUIES-TIC 2018 Meeting on October 3-5 at Universidad de las Américas Puebla. This is a meeting for of higher learning institution information technology coordinators and managers, and those experts and individuals who are interested in attending.

During three days, the technology experts of the 191 institutions that make up the National Association of Universities and Institutions of Higher Education (Asociación Nacional de Universidades e Instituciones de Educación Superior – ANUIES) will be able to interact, “sharing experiences, successes and failures, so the higher education institutions can advance quicker’” in topics related to information security and technology studies, stated Raúl González López, UDLAP Operations Director. He is the person in charge of presenting the third edition of this meeting, which will offer workshops, lectures, and meetings with experts.

To delve into the dynamics that will be a part of the meeting, José Luis Ponce López, ANUIES Director of Information Technologies and Communications, explained that there will be panels with experts, 12 workshops, and two collaborative work meetings on cybersecurity and technology change management. Technology suppliers, who want to form alliances with universities and support their development, will be at a showroom in the premises. “The event is a meeting point where we can know the aspects of our needs and problems so we can have common opportunities to solve them”, said Mr. Ponce López

Likewise, he explained that the main theme of the event will be the collaboration strategies of the ICTs in higher education institutions, from the perspective of IT governance, information security, and IT acquisitions in universities. For this reason, it is an excellent opportunity to share ideas and devise joint solutions, through conferences to discuss the 4.0 industry, projects, and much more with people from the Mexican Space Agency, the Conference of Spanish University Presidents (Conferencia de Rectores de Universidades de España – CRUE), UNAM, and the Cyber Police.

Mr. Hugo López indicated that the ANUIES-TIC 2018 Meeting will be broadcast through the Universidad de las Américas Puebla webpage on October 3, 4 and 5. He sent an invitation to the general public to “enjoy all the lectures since this is a topic not only for experts, but for owners of a mobile phone, since everybody is vulnerable to hacking.”

UDLAP Welcomes the Class of 2022

Over 2,500 new licenciatura and graduate students lived their first experience as part of the UDLAP community.

With the start of activities for the 2018 Fall Orientation, over 2,500 new licenciatura and graduate students from different Mexican states had their first experience as a part of the Universidad de las Américas Puebla community.

During a welcoming event, Dr. Luis Ernesto Derbez Bautista, UDLAP´s President, emphasized that this year´s class is the largest in the history of Universidad de las Américas Puebla and that, due to the high demand for admission, the university closed the enrollment of new students for the Fall 2018 semester early. “Today I welcome the 2018 – 2022 class, the largest and best qualified in the institution’s history. Congratulations to each and every one of you”, expressed the UDLAP president.

He told the UDLAP students that they would live a unique and different experience: “You will meet, study, and socialize with people from all over the country and abroad. You will have excellent professors who teach with quality and warmth, and you will get practical experience for your careers. This is Universidad de las Américas Puebla.”

Likewise, Miguel Saavedra Chimal, president of the Student Council’s Executive Branch, gave the new students five ideas to experience UDLAP to the fullest: “First, try new things and enroll in the university’s activities; second, don’t forget to set aside time for all things; third, forget apathy; fourth, be yourselves; and fifth, feel that you belong to the UDLAP community because you are now Aztecas, you are already part of Universidad de las Américas Puebla, the best private university in Mexico.”

To close the event, Dr. Luis Ernesto Derbez Bautista swore in the new UDLAP students saying, “By the authority vested in me in my role as president, I declare each and every one of you a student of Universidad de las Américas Puebla, with all the rights, responsibilities, and privileges that this implies. Welcome Aztecas!”

Then, the new students took part in the traditional welcome ritual, which, with feather headdress and the right hand up high, harmonized the “tomahawk”, a ritual that Universidad de las Américas Puebla has made customary to perform at the start of every Azteca game, which for the university means going out and giving the best of oneself.

The Orientation Program is a set of activities carried out by Universidad de las Américas Puebla as part of the process to help new students to adapt. It includes recreational activities, sharing ideas with classmates, making new friends, and meeting professors and administrative personnel. During this program, new UDLAP students have numerous activities, such as workshops, a rally, campus tours, English placement exams, and talks with deans and academic directors.

Activities End for UDLAP’s Young Indigenous Leadership Program

With the presence of the UDLAP president, Dr. Luis Ernesto Derbez Bautista, academic and administrative authorities, and representatives from the United States Embassy, the eighth edition of the Young Indigenous Leadership Program was concluded. “With this generation, there have been 243 Mexican students who have been in the program, giving them access to greater opportunities to continue strengthening their abilities” mentioned Ms. Young Lee, the Deputy Cultural Affairs Officer of the American Embassy.

During the closing ceremony, Ms. Young Lee reminded this new generation that many other participants of this program have become prominent professionals who continue to work in improving their environment. And she added: “Dear scholars, you were selected to participate in this program because of your academic merits, as well as the commitment you have to your communities. You take with you new tools to continue standing out as students and in the future as professionals; you are a true example to follow.”

This program has been possible thanks to the collaboration of the United States Embassy in Mexico and UDLAP, the support of Dr. Derbez, the faculty, administrative group and the young UDLAP students who accompany the participants during their activities. The UDLAP Business Council has also aided with effort and contributions that for the past eight years have made this program ever richer in content and reach.

The participant Eliber Gómez Abadía congratulated each of his classmates for the important work they have carried out in their projects, “…from the revitalization of Nahuatl, the important work that is curtailing migration and maintaining our cultures alive, safekeeping our biological diversity, they are without a doubt projects focused on wellbeing, or jlekilaltik as we tojol-abales say.”

“It was almost a month of learning new realities, getting to know different ways of living, and seeing the world. Without a doubt, we have all contributed the worldview and ancient of wisdom of our communities. The tools that the Young Indigenous Leadership Program has given us, initiates a new generation of leaders who will inspire, listen, understand, seek alternatives, and support their people. This is a generation that searches for, and I’m sure will find and make, the positive change that we need” stated Eliber Gómez.

On the other hand, the participant from Guatemala, Claudia Carolina Iguit Chivalán, also dedicated words of encouragement and reflection about the work carried out in the program. “Today we do not celebrate our goodbye, we celebrate our union that has been forged in these four weeks of uncountable experiences and learning, and that our friendship may become an unbreakable link to continue working as a team and provide solutions to the different problems we face, because I know that working as a team we will achieve bigger and better results, no matter how far we may be” she stated.

Finally, Dr. Laura Elena López, academic coordinator of the program, closed the activities by presenting the eighth generation of young indigenous leaders. “Like every year, we have worked hard with 20 people from different states and one participant from Guatemala, who learned to propose viable solutions to problems they have themselves experienced in their communities.”