The Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN) will expand its links with French universities and research centers through the Franco-Mexican Strategic Council, promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) to strengthen bilateral scientific cooperation at the highest level and address global challenges and sustainable development.
This was announced by the General Director of the IPN, Arturo Reyes Sandoval, during the forum "Balance, challenges and perspectives" organized by the French Embassy in Mexico, the French Institute of Latin America (IFAL), and the National Association of Universities and Institutions of Higher Education (Anuies).
He explained that the Franco-Mexican Strategic Council allows the articulation of scientific and business projects with the support of both governments and stressed that one of its priorities is to link institutions of higher education (IES), industry, and government, to promote priority projects of common interest that require high-level monitoring.
Reyes Sandoval highlighted that, within the IPN's academic mobility program, France is one of the countries from which the Politécnico receives the most students, and he emphasized the collaboration it maintains with the Pasteur Institute in Paris, the Sorbonne University and the Claude Bernard University in Lyon for academic and research exchanges.
He said that one of the Politécnico's priorities is the link with French companies located in Mexico: "We are about to sign an agreement with a French company that produces airplanes and aircraft parts for the whole world and is located in Querétaro and Chihuahua," he said.
He indicated that one of the priority aspects of the IPN is internationalization, in which research projects have a high priority; innovation, links with companies, scientific projects, and mobility are four areas to be strengthened.
He recalled that the institution works to strengthen double diplomas, summer schools and academic stays to strengthen soft skills such as leadership.
"We have agreements with universities that allow French students to spend a semester with us studying some subjects that they take into account in their home institutions. This allows them an immersion in Mexican culture and in areas of technology, science and engineering."
He highlighted that the IPN is the technological arm of the Mexican Government and serves a population of 216,000 students, of which 120,000 are higher education students, and 6,000 belong to postgraduate programs (master and doctorate), in addition to being the second institution that generates the most patents in Mexico but the challenge is to license them to bring them closer to the industry.
At the discussion panel "Scientific priorities and dimensions of Franco-Mexican cooperation" the speakers expressed the need to strengthen scientific research networks between the two nations, to provide answers to phenomena such as global warming, the oceans, health,and the Sustainable Development Goals, among others.
INSTITUTO POLITÉCNICO NACIONAL
D.R. Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN). Av. Luis Enrique Erro S/N, Unidad Profesional Adolfo López Mateos, Zacatenco, Alcaldía Gustavo A. Madero, C.P. 07738, Ciudad de México. Conmutador: 55 57 29 60 00 / 55 57 29 63 00.
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