Presenting in Monterrey, Mexico

This week I was two days in Monterrey (plus two full days of travel up & down from Bogota via Mexico City). The purpose was to give two presentations at a conference on higher education in the Americas. The invitation to speak came from colleagues of DFATD, the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade & Development (in which the former CIDA - Canadian International Development Agency - has been merged as of this year).

The conference is in its third year and was spearheaded by Canada who hosted the first conference in Calgary in 2010. The second conference was hosted in Brazil in early 2012. About 600 participants from all countries of North, Central and South America & the Caribbean were present.

Canada is very active in promoting academic exchanges and joint research activities between all countries and the "Imagine Canada" booth had a good showing at the conference.

The first presentation was on scholarship programs available in Canada. Our DFATD Trade Commissioner colleague gave an overview of the programs available and afterwards two examples were presented for use at Canadian universities and Canadian colleges.

My colleague from a university in Quebec City gave an overview of the many exchange students and researchers they have at their campuses thanks to a variety of Canadian scholarship programs for both Canadian and international students. Afterwards I gave an overview of what Niagara College has done in this field during the past 10 years (promoting our "Be World Ready" campaign).

The second presentation was on development projects in the educational & training sector sponsored by the Canadian government. After overviews by two DFATD colleagues I explained what we are doing in Colombia with our EFE - Education for Employment - program.

After all the serious work - and being in Mexico - the hosts treated us on some excellent Mexican music and folklore. So the remaining photos just to give you an impression of one of the evenings in Monterrey, Mexico. Too short a visit really, but that is how it goes....