Representatives from seven universities and colleges in Arizona and Mexico gathered in Yuma Wednesday. The institutions signed on to an agreement to collaborate across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Arizona Western College hosted the event, in which dignitaries from four Arizona institutions and three Mexican institutions signed a Memorandum of Understanding.
Arizona Western College, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, University of Arizona, Universidad Politecnica de Baja California, Instituto Tecnologico de Mexicali, and Universidad Autonoma de Baja California were part of the agreement, which aims to create opportunities for collaboration across the U.S./Mexico border. This collaboration could include research partnerships and student exchanges.
Alejandro Lugo, Director of the School of Transborder Studies at Arizona State University says this may be politically-charged time for the border, but these educators believe in breaking barriers.
“We heard from one representative that borders unite us; they do not divide us" he says. "And that is, I think, a very important message as to where we are today and where we need to go.”
The MOU was part of an effort by 4FrontED, a collaboration between the cities in the mega-region of Arizona and neighboring Mexico to promote bi-national economic development.