Photo: (left to right: Ms Stefania Agius Fabri, Prof. Frank Bezzina, Prof. Alfred J. Vella, Prof. Ing. Carl James Debono and Dr Joseph G. Vella
Following a visit by the Consul and the Ambassador of Mexico in December 2021, together with the Rector of the University of Malta, the Ambassador had identified the University of Colima, Mexico, as having potential for collaboration with the University of Malta. Meetings between the International Office of the University of Malta and the International Affairs and the Academic Cooperation Office of the University of Colima were held to establish cooperation between both universities.
An Academic Cooperation Agreement between the University of Malta and the University of Colima was officially signed on the 26 October 2022 to establish cooperative relations between the two institutions, especially to develop the academic and cultural interchange through mutual assistance in the areas of education and research.
This Agreement will enhance cooperation through exchange of faculty and staff members, joint research and consultancy activities, participation in seminars and academic meetings, exchange of academic materials and special short-term academic programs and projects.
During his speech, the University of Malta Rector, Prof. Alfred J. Vella said that "Our engagement with Central America has been extremely limited. Distance, language, lack of research and mobility funding along with limited tourism and trade links have so far largely restricted our ability to explore this part of the word for academic and research engagement. The fact that this approach was concretised with proposals identifying areas of engagement instilled further interest and we are extremely appreciative of all the efforts that staff at the Embassy of Mexico and the University of Colima have undertaken to ensure that this potential for collaboration is harnessed."
The Rector continued by remarking that "The Faculty of ICT has been identified as the first focus of interest at this initial stage of collaboration. This Faculty, presently under the Deanship of Prof. Ing. Carl James Debono (present with us today) has developed a very strong international outlook with a focus on mobility of students and staff and wide, interdisciplinary research engagements within and beyond the European Union."
