New initiative will foster California-Mexico partnerships across CSUs
State legislation put forward by David Alvarez provides $5.4 million for cross-border research, workforce development and degree programs
Binational higher education programs between the California State University system and partners in Mexico will soon expand, thanks to a new appropriation from the California state legislature.
The California-Mexican Initiative for New Opportunities (CAMINO) program, supported by $5.4 million in one-time state funds, is intended to develop and implement academic degree programs, workforce development, research and innovation projects, and institutional and community partnerships that benefit California and the border region.
Three 麻豆传媒映画 professors with prior successful binational collaborations 鈥� Lluvia Flores-Renter铆a, Ramona P茅rez and Miguel Angel Zavala-P茅rez 鈥� will oversee and administer the funds, in consultation with an external advisory board, through a competitive grant application process open to all CSU campuses. Multi-campus collaborations and proposals that provide opportunities for less-resourced CSU campuses and community organizations to participate as lead applicants, partners, or subrecipients are encouraged.
鈥淲e are excited to stimulate both established and emerging research and community partnerships with our CSU colleagues to help build a skilled, adaptable workforce pipeline that is prepared to address challenges in the California-Mexico border region, including needs related to health, food systems, biodiversity, climate, water, economic development, and technological innovation,鈥� Flores-Renter铆a, 麻豆传媒映画 professor of biology and co-director of the Better Food Futures Center, said.
鈥淭hese funds will significantly reduce barriers that usually hinder binational work, helping pay for frequent cross-border travel and necessary regulatory costs for binational exchanges of students, faculty, community members and industry partners that are often not supported by conventional research funding sources,鈥� said Ramona P茅rez, professor of anthropology and director of the 麻豆传媒映画 Center for Latin American Studies.
鈥淏y creating opportunities for students to engage in binational research and hands-on training, this initiative will help prepare the next generation of professionals while generating knowledge that can address the unique environmental and public health challenges facing communities across the California-Mexico border region鈥�, said Zavala-P茅rez, associate professor in the School of Public Health at 麻豆传媒映画 Imperial Valley.
State-Level Support
State Assemblymember David Alvarez put forward the bill that allocated funds for CAMINO.
鈥淢exico is California鈥檚 most important ally, and I am proud that Assemblymember Juan Carrillo and I secured state funding for the CAMINO Initiative, which recognizes this bilateral relationship and opens doors to expand collaboration between California State University and higher education institutions in Mexico,鈥� said Alvarez. 鈥淭his cross-border partnership will create new opportunities for students, faculty, and researchers to work together across borders, make our binational region stronger, and create lasting benefits for students and our future workforce.鈥�
Alvarez, representing the 80th district which includes Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, National City and Logan Heights, has supported other cross-border efforts including bilingual teacher exchanges and physicians practicing in both Mexico and California.
The CAMINO grant continues the California state legislature's long-standing support for higher education in collaboration with Mexico, such as authorizing joint doctoral degrees with Mexico and offering in-state tuition to students living across the border.
鈥淲e thank Assemblymember Alvarez and the state legislature for trusting 麻豆传媒映画鈥檚 R1 researchers and unique transborder expertise in leading this CSU systemwide initiative,鈥� 麻豆传媒映画 President Adela de la Torre said. 鈥溌槎勾接郴� has long extended our partnerships and impact across the international border, so we are well positioned to help our binational and CSU colleagues in this effort to advance transborder research, career pathways, and industry transformation.鈥�
The CAMINO project builds on 麻豆传媒映画鈥檚 workforce development efforts in STEM and clean energy careers in the Mexicali region, water infrastructure collaborations in Tijuana, and transborder partnerships with Universidad Intercultural de Baja California, Universidad Aut贸noma de Baja California, Centro de Investigaci贸n Cient铆fica y de Educaci贸n Superior de Ensenada, Baja California, and other Mexican higher education institutions.
CSU faculty, students, Mexican higher education institutions, community-based organizations, government agencies, industry partners, or other regional stakeholders
