by Mark Schaaf
Daily Lobo
After a two-day conference, representatives from Mexican and Spanish universities left knowing it wouldn't be the last time they'd be in contact with UNM.
Thirty delegates, including students, from 15 Mexican universities and one Spanish university gathered at UNM on Wednesday and Thursday and signed agreements to continue working with each other.
Cheo Torres, vice president of Student Affairs, said the conference centered around diversifying students' backgrounds.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
"All of the 16 universities have been able to network among themselves and especially with UNM," Torres said. "This has been very unique, because we have never had as many top administrators from Mexico and Spain at one time talking about so many things - deciding so many things in such a short amount of time. It's incredible."
Torres said the representatives have also contacted UNM departments to discuss network programs, research possibilities and exchanges. Architecture, engineering, medicine, law and education were some of the programs discussed, Torres said.
At the closing session Thursday, Provost Reed Dasenbrock told the delegates UNM is working to send more students around the world. Dasenbrock said many of the University's Spanish-speaking students have not been outside the United States.
"The connection with Latin America is absolutely essential to our University," he said.
The agreements signed Thursday were good-faith agreements to continue working together, Torres said.
"I think the most important thing is that we agreed to continue the discussions and to continue the programs," he said.
Arturo Ornelas, adviser of the Mexican universities, said he was pleased with the results of the conference, but there was more work ahead in fulfilling the agreements.
"It was very positive," Ornelas said. "In two days it was a very intensive piece of work where we came out with results. We not only talk, but we also agree to do things."
The programs and agreements also aim to keep international students in New Mexico after graduation.
The delegates, who wore UNM pins during Thursday's closing session, represented Mexico City and the states of Guadalajara, Chihuahua, Tabasco, Oaxaca, Morelos and Monterrey.
Torres said the conference was planned by several organizers.
"It was very successful because they planned it well; they executed it well," he said. "This has been a real team effort."
The representatives, who arrived in Albuquerque on Tuesday, met with several department chairpeople, deans, faculty and staff on Thursday morning to discuss joint programs.
They toured campus Wednesday and also met with state Sen. Shannon Robinson and Manuel Garcia y Griego, director of the Southwest Hispanic Research Center.
Thursday afternoon the Hispano Chamber of Commerce was slated to tour Albuquerque with the Mexican and Spanish university representatives.
