The Texas A&M Engineering Yucatan (Mexico) Initiative Transformational Partnership for Student Engagement

Transcription

1 The Texas A&M Engineering Yucatan (Mexico) Initiative Transformational Partnership for Student Engagement TAMU: Maria Alves; Zenon Medina-Cetina; Esther Rodriguez; Sonia Garcia and English Language Institute group Yucatan: Ricardo Bello; Victor Gutierrez; Marta Ortega; Victor Cámara; Angela Gamboa Avila; Alicia Navarrete Alonso, Alberto Munoz; Victor Gutierrez

2 Transformational Partnerships To prepare our students for the global job market and to increase the number of engineering students studying abroad, new and sustainable models of study abroad programs need to be developed This presentation describes how a transformational partnership between Texas A&M and the Yucatan is supporting the creation of not only new student programs, but new models of programs

3 Presentation Outline Texas A&M Engineering Study Abroad The Yucatan Initiative Student Programs under this Partnership

4 Texas A&M is Committed to Double the Number of Students Studying Abroad Texas A&M has joined the Generation Study Abroad Challenge of IIE Dwight Look College of Engineering of Texas A&M University has set the goal to have at least 50% of its students graduate with an international experience Currently about 20% of the engineering students are graduating with an international experience

5 Look College Study Abroad Program Locations : 715 Texas A&M Engineering students studied aboard : The goal is to surpass the 1,000 mark with all location above

6 Overcoming Challenges According to reports done by IIE, there are three main barriers to increase the number of students studying abroad: Cost, Culture, and Curriculum To prepare our students for the global job market and reach this goal, new and sustainable models of study abroad programs need to be developed so those challenges can be overcome

7 The Yucatan Initiative This partnership is faculty driven Currently more than 50 researchers from both sides are involved It aims at establishing international research collaboration in topics that are of joint interest for Texas and Yucatan: Fostering economic development of the Yucatan and Texas as well as Mexico and the US. Started as an extension of Prof. Zenon Medina-Cetina, Texas A&M, successful collaboration with industry partners in Yucatan in Stochastic Geomechanics Building on the success of the collaboration model to other faculty and disciplines at Texas A&M Working on the solution of regional problems common to Texas and Yucatan

8 History of the Yucatan Initiative In 2013 a research agreement was signed with Yucatan s Research Consortium (CONCITEY) to conduct two research workshops on themes of mutual interest to Texas and Yucatan From a collaborative effort between the research teams from Yucatan and TAMU, five strategic areas were defined thought to significantly boost regional economic development Costal Dynamics, Aquifers, Early Warning Systems, Logistics, and Sustainable Energy The first workshop was held in Merida Yucatan early in spring of 2014, with the participation of 17 faculty from different TAMU colleges The second workshop was held at Texas A&M early in the summer of 2014, with the participation of 10 faculty from TAMU and research and government representatives from Yucatan

9 Current Status of the Yucatan Initiative From the second workshop, it was decided to extend the collaboration through a three Tier funding schemes: Tier I: To support two projects per each strategic area for a year with matching seed funds from TAMU and Yucatan Tier II: To support regional projects including neighboring states to Yucatan and Texas Tier III: To support the creation of International Research Centers As of today, bi-national teams are working together on the research proposed for the Tier I funding scheme With the success of the model, other research areas are being added to the Yucatan Initiative Phase II: Agriculture focus Phase III: Social Sciences and Education focus

10 TAMU-Yucatan Partnership and Student Programs The research collaborations under this partnership are allowing us to develop sustainable models and relevant programs for student exchange: CANIET program: Preparing/Recruiting Mexican students for grad school ELCIR: Engineering Learning Community Introduction to Research for Regent Scholars New Model of Faculty Led Program International Research Internship Exchange

11 CANIET Program Preparing/Recruiting Mexican students for grad school A 10-weeks summer program to prepare students from Yucatan for graduate school in the US The program took place during summer 2014 and 2015 with 30 Yucatan students each year During the 10-weeks students are engaged: Morning: English classes at the ELI Afternoon: Research internship with Texas A&M faculty member Saturday mornings: GRE training

12 Yucatan s Motivation To improve the human capital development in Mexico s information technology sector By sending Mexican students to pursue master and PhD degrees in the US Yucatan have scholarships for MS and PhD abroad that are not being used Students lack of awareness Students lack of preparedness Even though Mexico and the US are neighbors with strong economic ties, only 10% of Mexican students abroad are in the US 242 Information Technology Master and PhD Students from Mexico Studying Abroad 10% 25 Mexican Students Studying Abroad (not US) Mexican Students Studying in US

13 Texas A&M Engineering s Motivation To diversify its international graduate student population Strategic countries Economic and social importance for TAMU, Texas and US The Look College of Texas A&M University is very large, with geographical closeness to Mexico Only 2% of its grad international students are from Mexico 32 Mexican Students less than 2% Dwight Look College of Engineering 1,958 International Graduate Students during Fall 2013

14 CANIETI Program Results Summer 2014 Cohort Language barrier: TOEFL and GRE Lack of contact with faculty members at host universities Challenges The Pilot Program 30 students 10-week summer English classes Research w/ Faculty GRE training 11 students admitted for MS/PhD Funded by Mexico 22% acceptance rate 34% increase in MX Results

15 ELCIR Engineering Learning Community Introduction to Research for Regent Scholars To increase the number of low-income, first generation students studying abroad 1-credit course ENGR Engineering Learning Community Introduction to Research that starts during the Spring semester The highlight of the course is a two-week trip to Merida, Yucatan in May, where students enroll in an introduction to research course While in Mexico, students have the opportunity to visit research sites and have cultural visits such a Uxmal Mayan ruins, the cenotes (sink holes), and the Mayan museum During the visits to the research sites, students identify a related research topic they would like to further investigate and delve into for the rest of the program Upon returning from Mexico, students engage in an online learning community for 10- weeks during the summer session in order to develop a research proposal on the identified problem topic To conclude the program, students create a research poster summarizing their research proposal and present their poster during a poster symposium for Look College faculty members, administrators, and students

16 ELCIR is linked to the Yucatan Initiative ELCIR 2015 and 2016 The research sites students visits and the faculty mentors for the students are the ones involved in the 5 research areas of the Yucatan Infinitive Costal Dynamics; Aquifers; Early Warning Systems; Logistics; Sustainable Energy The goal is to deepen the relationship between Mexico and the United States, and to: Enable our students to explore Mexico, understand our shared values, and lead the process of greater commercial and social integration. Expose sophomore students early on in their careers to research, Immerse students in cultural and global research setting to maximize retention in engineering Start to develop on students a global mindset This program is funded by LSAMP (Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation) Summer 2015: 17 students participated Summer 2016: Funding allocated for 30 students to participate

17 New Model of Faculty Led Program Texas A&M faculty members and students to travel to Yucatan for 4 weeks for specific courses Universities in Yucatan will not be host of faculty led programs, but partners in the program Jointly fund and organize the program Courses for TAMU and Yucatan students together As part of the course, students will be involved in 3 challenges: Research, Innovation and Service Participation of multiple higher education institution from Yucatan Summer 2016 will be the first year of the program

18 International Research Internship Exchange - For Summer 2017 To deepen the relationship and effect of the research projects that are part of the Yucatan Initiative Texas A&M students will travel to Yucatan during summer to be involved on those research projects jointly with Yucatan students Model and funding scheme being developed for summer 2017

19 Conclusion Including the students in the strategic research projects has the potential to foster region-wide cooperation, understanding and prosperity through greater international exchange of students Students participating in this programs will increase mutual understanding and building closer people-to-people ties helping the people of Texas and Yucatan Address common challenges including citizen security, economic opportunity, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability A true partnership program will support the development of global minded engineers that understand and appreciate other cultures and regional problems

20 Maria Alves Director, Engineering Global Programs 20

21 O B R I G A D A 21