IPN consolidates internationalisation with Queen Mary University of London alliance

• IPN’s General Director, Arturo Reyes Sandoval, and Queen Mary University of London ‘s President and Principal, Colin Bailey, sign two cooperation agreements.

• 17 IPN students and five teachers receive awards for participating in the Summer Research School, which included a stay in the United Kingdom

The scientific capacities strengthening through the International Research School programme creation, and the implementation of English language courses for students at the upper secondary, tertiary and postgraduate levels will be the first actions resulting from the general cooperation agreement and the specific cooperation agreement signed by the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN) and Queen Mary University of London (QMUL).

During the signing of these agreements between IPN’s General Director, Arturo Reyes Sandoval, and Queen Mary University of London ‘s President and Principal, Colin Bailey; awards were given to 17 students and five polytechnic teachers, who made up the second generation of the Summer Research School programme. The participants had a three-week stay at Durham University, Queen Mary University and the University of Leeds.

IPN’s General Director expressed his delight at the formalization of these agreements and relied on that this alliance would continue. He assured that both institutions share the same essential core: providing education and scientific training to those who need it the most.

Addressing to the young polytechnic students who will in the future, have the chance to study or spend time at the London university, Reyes Sandoval said that studying at such a renowned institution changes their lives, because it broadens their development, academic and personal growth expectations.

He explained that connecting with QMUL students and professors, in addition to foreigners participating in internationalisation programmes, will enrich their training and their families will notice this growth when they return to Mexico.

He thanked QMUL for partnering with the IPN and avowed that the international Dean of the UK institution, Teresa Alonso Rasgado, who graduated from the Polytechnic Institute, has made it possible to formalise this partnership for several years now, because she has encouraged several generations of young people to spend time at international institutions.

QUMUL’s President and Principal, Colin Bailey, said that these agreements open the possibility of making a positive contribution to both universities’ development.

He emphasized the importance of widening our international cooperation frontiers to face global challenges, because it will be the new generations of student’s responsibility to lead the great changes in the world.

IPN’s General Attorney María de los Ángeles Jasso Cisneros said that the general cooperation agreement provides legal framework for student, researcher and professor exchanges; research and development projects and information interchange; documentation, and educational and scientific publications, as well as the organisation of conferences, symposia and seminars.

She also explained that the specific cooperation agreement establishes the basis for training programmes through the School of International Research and English language courses for students at all three levels of education.

On behalf of the students who received recognition, César Cruz Rojas, a student from the IPN's Economic, Administrative and Social Research, Centre, said that today a solid platform is being built, through which synergies among the two institutions will be strengthened. He also stated that this association will contribute to overcome the challenges a post-pandemic world brings.

In 2021, the Polytechnic Foundation, C. A. and Queen Mary University of London signed a cooperation agreement, which established the development of dual master's and doctoral programmes, as well as virtual courses to boost teacher’s professional development.

This alliance also created the “Principals” Excellence Scholarship, which will be awarded to five students with an outstanding average pursuing postgraduate study. A Doctorate Scholarship in which 12 polytechnic students will participate, was also created.