Five new education and agriculture collaborations between Minnesota and Mexico are being signed today in Mexico City, where Gov. Mark Dayton is on a trade mission with dozens of business officials, education leaders and state employees.
The goal of the mission is to find trade and investment opportunities.
Dayton’s office said he is formalizing the five agreements today in a ceremony at the Office of the Mexico Secretary of Foreign Affairs.
The governor said in a statement:
Improving educational exchanges between Minnesota and Mexico will be crucial to continuing our mutual economic growth,.These collaborations will strengthen those educational exchanges, and create more opportunities for women in both Minnesota and Mexico to succeed in agriculture and business.
The five new Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) signed today are:
- “Women in Agriculture and Business” MOU between the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Mexico’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) – will promote the exchange of information, strengthen communication, foster opportunities for productivity improvements and market entry and foster the involvement of women in organic and sustainable agriculture development and promote opportunities for commercial trade.
- MOU between State of Minnesota and Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), Ministry of Public Education (SEP) and the National Council on Science and Technology (CONACYT) – This MOU will promote education and training needed by business and industry and educational and research activities.
- MOU between University of Minnesota and CONACYT – establishes a joint program called CONACYT – UMN, to grant postgraduate Master and PhD fellowships studies to Mexican students, with possible grants for Minnesota students in Mexico.
- MOU between Minnesota State Colleges & Universities (MnSCU) and SEP – an exchange of students, teachers and researchers; research activities, conferences and seminars; and teacher training.
- MOU between St. Cloud State University and University of Hidalgo – establishes the foundation to carry out joint activities in research, teaching, academic collaboration and professional development.
