According to the Sino-Mexico Collective Action Plan, the first Sino-Mexico Presidents Forum was held in the National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico City, from February 4th to 5th 2010.

    Co-organized by China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE) and the Mexico National Association of Universities and Higher Education Institutions (ANUIES), the forum was jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Public Education, Mexico. CEAIE led a delegation which consists of 31 presidents and representatives from 17 renowned universities in China to participate in this forum. Meanwhile, approximate 100 presidents and administrators from Universities in Mexico attended the forum.

    Mr. Rodolfo Tuirán Gutiérrez, Undersecretary of Higher Education, Ministry of Public Education, Mexico, chaired the opening ceremony of the forum. Ms. Wang Liying, Chief Commissioner of Supervision (Vice Minister level), Ministry of Education, China, and H. E. Yin Hengmin, the Chinese Ambassador to the United Mexican States, delivered their speeches in the opening ceremony. Madame Yang Meng，Deputy Secretary of CEAIE,  Mr. Rafael López Castañares, Executive General Secretary of ANUIES and Ms. Yoloxóchitl Bustamante, General Director of IPN were presented in the forum as well.

    The main theme of the forum was “Opportunities and Challenges of China and Mexico Higher Education Development in the 21st Century”. The university representatives from both countries exchanged their opinions on the following topics: China and Mexico University Management and Operation, Higher Education Quality Assurance and Academic Accreditation Recognition, Promoting Language Education and Encouraging Student and Faculty Mobility, Exploration for Joint Research Between Universities in China and Mexico.
 
    Educational exchange and cooperation have played an important role in promoting the bilateral relations between China and Mexico. In the last 30 years, more than 500 Chinese students studied in 20 Mexican schools on the government scholarship. Meanwhile, more than 400 Mexican students studied in more than 50 colleges and universities in China on the governmental scholarship. Until now, over 5000 Mexican students are learning Chinese and 5 Confucius Institutes were established in Mexico.

    The first Sino-Mexico Presidents Forum has promoted the mutual knowledge and understanding between universities from the two sides, and created favorable conditions for substantive cooperation in the future.   

(By Department of African & American Programs )