SF State and CETYS of Mexico to cooperate, exchange scholars and students
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 29, 2014 -- San Francisco State University today signed a memorandum of understanding with Centro de Enseñanza Técnica y Superior (CETYS Universidad) of Baja California, Mexico, to establish cooperation between the two entities. For SF State, it’s the first such partnership with an institution in Mexico.
SF State President Les Wong and his counterpart at CETYS Fernando León García sign historic cooperation pact.
President Les Wong traveled to the CETYS Tijuana campus to sign the formal agreement with his counterpart, Dr. Fernando León García, president of CETYS Universidad. “San Francisco State University’s partnership with CETYS presents new opportunities to build a foundation for strengthening our bilateral academic and research initiatives,” said President Wong. “I am delighted that our first partnership also reflects the rich historical and cultural relationships shared by the state of California and the state of Baja California.”
SF State and CETYS are agreeing to further collaboration efforts and the exchange of faculty members, students and staff for mutual benefit, such as cooperative research. Other activities to be considered include participation in joint conferences and events; short visits, courses, seminars and professional programs; and joint initiatives on community service learning and civil engagement. Each entity will maintain its independence while developing arrangements for exchanges and the mutual recognition of academic credits and degrees.
Presidents Wong and León García also discussed Proyecta 100,000 -- a strategy resulting from the Bilateral Forum on Higher Education, Innovation and Research that was launched in May 2013 by President Barack Obama and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto. Proyecta 100,000 seeks to expand student exchanges between the United States and Mexico over the next five years.
CETYS, also known as Centro de Enseñanza Técnica y Superior, is a private university that offers programs for undergraduate and graduate students in business, engineering and the humanities. It has campuses in Ensenada, Mexicali and Tijuana and is the first university outside the United States to be accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. SF State Vice President for University Advancement Robert J. Nava, who also is attending the campus tour and signing, will be the University’s liaison with CETYS. Dr. Guadalupe Sánchez of the College of Management and Business at CETYS Tijuana will be the liaison with SF State.
Within 90 days the two will work on establishing the top-level milestones to be implemented within the next 12 months. The institutional agreement is in effect for a period of five years.
###
SF State is the only master's-level public university serving the counties of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin. The University enrolls nearly 30,000 students each year and offers nationally acclaimed programs in a range of fields -- from creative writing, cinema, biology and history to broadcast and electronic communication arts, theatre arts and ethnic studies. The University’s more than 228,000 graduates have contributed to the economic, cultural and civic fabric of San Francisco and beyond.