The University of Guadalajara (UDG) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) formalized a general partnership agreement on December 1 in Guadalajara. The agreement, which was signed on the occasion of the Guadalajara International Book Fair, is the first step in a series of joint endeavors which will bring a number of benefits to students and scholars at both institutions.

This agreement will also help the University of Guadalajara at Los Angeles (UDGLA) in its efforts to support the Mexican and Mexican-American community in Los Angeles. Since 2008, UDGLA has been offering academic and cultural services designed to improve the living conditions of Latinos, foster their integration into their local communities and reinforce the roots and values of their communities of origin.

UDG Executive Vice-Rector Dr. Miguel Ángel Navarro Navarro pointed out that such agreements between universities open up a wide range of creative possibilities for students, and that this move will enable UDG to further expand its channels of exchange and communication.

“The signing of this agreement is the beginning of a strong partnership that will give students and professors the chance to take part in exchange visits. It will also strengthen a number of other activities. Present-day realities require us to prepare students to work in a globalized environment, which entails offering international academic curriculums."

He emphasized that the agreement is a necessity for the University of Guadalajara, given the time and energy already invested in its UDGLA program. In addition, he said that this formal arrangement will lead to stronger academic bonds between the institutions.

“This is a general agreement which forms the basis for future agreements about specific activities such as joint publishing projects, the organization of events and academic exchange programs. There will be opportunities in all branches of university activities, including art, culture, teaching and research.”

For his part, UCLA Vice Provost for International Studies Nicholas Entrikin expressed satisfaction with the agreement, which is a component of the internationalization strategies of both universities, something which has become more and more common these days.

“This is a big event and the agreement is a way to continue our relationship. Internationalization and institutional partnerships are important,” he said.

In her explanation of the terms of the agreement, UDG General Coordinator of Cooperation and Internationalization Dr. Jocelyne Gacel-Ávila commented that the history of academic outreach between both universities goes back to 1985, when the first UDG-UCLA agreement was signed. The new agreement is the most important one to date, she said, because internationalization is the prevailing trend in higher education and as a result it is necessary to “produce graduates with intercultural skills that measure up to the reality of globalization.”

The purpose of the agreement, she added, was to make it possible for students at both institutions to carry out one-semester exchange visits and for academic credits to be recognized reciprocally by both universities.

The agreement “enables our students to enrich their education at one of the world’s best and most prestigious universities,” she added. In addition, she concluded, UCLA students will learn more about the cultural traditions and modern-day complexities of Mexico, while enjoying the hospitality and affection that Guadalajara feels for Los Angeles.

Present at the signing ceremony were Dr. Randal Johnson, Director of the UCLA Latin American Institute; Dr. Rubén Hernández-León, Director of the UCLA Center for Mexican Studies; and Gustavo Padilla Montes, UDGLA’s Executive Director.