Tripartite Academic Diplomacy – El Sol de México

Written by Arturo Flores Lopez

International research networks have become a form of academic diplomacy. Since 2013, the Faculty of Global Studies of the University of Anahuac Mexico has led the organization of a symposium for professionals called North American operation. In this event, universities Arizona StateAnd the United States and calgary, Canada. Since the beginning of this forum, points of discussion have centered on economic matters, especially those related to the close trilateral trade association that the United States, Canada, and Mexico maintain through the T-MEC. In view of the above, topics related to cars, energy, sustainability and food were included on the agenda presented by specialists and officials from the three governments. In this way, the events were held consecutively between 2013 and 2021, adding up to a total of six in-person meetings, plus one virtual meeting.

Currently, the symposium is in the reactivation phase, where it will be held again, in hybrid mode, at the Universidad Anahuac Mexico (from 15 to 17 November this year). For the eighth broadcast, a format is presented divided into five thematic themes: trade, security, migration, energy and water. In addition, there is a new partner from Canada, as Ottawa, Carleton University, will join in organizing the event, occupying the space left by the University of Calgary. These thematic panels aim to stimulate ongoing discussion between academics and experts from civil society organizations, representatives of the private sector and government agencies. The results expected to be obtained are mainly directed in three directions: 1) visualization of publishable academic works (in scientific journals, book chapters or books, as well as research reports); 2) Investigation White papers (General policy recommendations of the governments of the three countries); 3) Form research networks, tripartite working groups, or develop research projects that can compete as proposals for international funding.

In addition to these three outcome axes, the event is expected to contribute to the internationalization of the University of Anahuac Mexico. To become a platform and reference point that not only members of the School of Global Studies can participate in, but also other schools and colleges within the same institution; In return, it is expected that other national and foreign academic bodies will join the project in the future. Another impact relates to the fact that employment opportunities are opened within a national tripartite framework, through interaction and linkage between the academic, business and civil society sectors. For information about the event, you can visit the following link: https://northamericanprocess.org.

Coordinator of the Anahuac Center for Research in International Relations.

Tenth: @arturofl