The technology industry offers enormous opportunity for international collaboration. At the first annual U.S. / Mexico Technology Summit, one of the principal themes will be partnership development. Most of us recognize the importance of good partnerships but the ability to nurture a partnership to its mutually beneficial limits is a rare quality.
In the spirit of international collaboration, the University of North Texas (UNT) established an academic liaison office on its campus for the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEM) in February of 2005. Since its inception, this program has fostered more than 14 joint publications, numerous degrees granted through distance education and/or graduate programs, the establishment of a dual degree program, many joint events and academic conferences, and much more. I was particularly impressed with the recent launch of a “seed fund” program to support new and existing work between UNT and UAEM. In year one, seven projects were approved, with the possibility of ten selections in 2011.
