In November, Sören Metz, TUM Liaison Officer for Latin America, visited the EuroPosgrados in Mexico City. The international fair for junior scientists was an ideal opportunity to discuss future projects withold and new partners in the metropolitan area, and also to celebrate the 150th anniversary of TUM.
National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)
The TUM partner university UNAM is one of the largest universities in Latin America with about 380,000 students and campuses spread all over Mexico. At a meeting on the main campus in Mexico City, the continuation of the very good exchange between the two universities was discussed with the head of the International Office. UNAM is the institution in Mexico with who TUM cooperates most – both in terms of publications and scientific projects.
Universidad de la Américas Puebla (UDLAP)
Another visit to a long-standing partner university led Sören Metz to the Universidad de las Americas in Puebla, about 2.5 hours away from Mexico City. With UDLAP there is lively student exchange, and the two universities also had their first joint research projects in the fields of architecture and geodesy. Together with the Dean of Research and the head of the International Office, further steps were discussed in order to establish and expand cooperation in other areas of research between the two institutions. The Latin American Liaison Office of TUM particularly supports this process with regard to the identification of research funding opportunities in the bilateral context. Other options are the good networking of the UDLAP with the local industry: both VW and Audi have factories in Puebla.
New partner: IPN - Instituto Politécnico Nacional de México
The expansion of institutional partnerships in Mexico was also an important part of the visit in the context of the 150th anniversary of the TUM. TUM already cooperates with the Instituto Politécnico Nacional de México (IPN) via the European-Latin American network Magalhães. This cooperation should now be consolidated through student exchange.