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Last Updated: Feb 6, 2017 - 2:32:04 PM |
From left to right:
Emilio Rabasa Gamboa, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Mexico to the OAS
Juan Manuel Valle Pereña, Executive Director of AMEXCID, Mexico
Enrique Cabrero Mendoza, General Director, CONACYT, Mexico
José Miguel Insulza, OAS Secretary General
Albert R. Ramdin, OAS Assistant Secretary General
Eduardo Medina Mora, Ambassador of Mexico to the United States
Date: July 17, 2013
Place: Washington, DC
Credit: Juan Manuel Herrera/OAS
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The
Organization of American States (OAS), the Mexican National Science and
Technology Council (CONACYT) and the Mexican Agency for International
Development Cooperation (AMEXCID) signed today at OAS headquarters in
Washington, DC, an agreement to provide scholarship opportunities to 600
citizens of the Americas for master's or doctoral studies in science
and engineering in Mexico, of which 100 will be earmarked for students
from Central America and the Caribbean.
During the event, which was attended by delegates from the
member countries and OAS officials, the Secretary General of the
hemispheric institution, José Miguel Insulza, applauded CONACYT and
AMEXID for their interest in "contributing to this important development
effort for our people." "We often say that in this democratic period
our countries face the double challenge of achieving more sustainable
development and at the same time, having inclusion and equity, and for
that purpose we recognize education and innovation as essential tools,"
he said. In that regard, he added that the educating and training of
citizens "allows our countries to be more competitive and enables more
people to aspire to a better quality of life. Investing in human capital
increases individual productivity and is essential for the development
of member states, "he said.
"The OAS, through the Secretariat for Integral Development, has
been offering professional development opportunities in the Americas
almost since its creation; it is the work of several decades.
International cooperation in higher education is an essential to
development. Moreover, we want this to be an inclusive initiative, and
we will do that through programs that provide generous funding for
excellent students such as the one we are presenting today, "said the
head of the hemispheric Organization.
During 2012, the OAS channeled more than 1,000 scholarships
through strategic alliances and professional development, said the
Secretary General, who announced that in 2013 that number will be nearly
doubled. "The donation of scholarships that we are receiving today is,
from the numerical point of view, the highest we've ever received from a
member state," he concluded.
The Permanent Representative of Mexico to the OAS, Emilio
Rabasa, recalled his country's commitment to increase its presence in
the OAS and stressed that the signing of the agreement shows Mexico’s
willingness to pursue closer ties and to strengthen cooperation with the
Americas. CONACYT, he added, "has been active in various OAS programs,
including scholarship programs. It has also worked actively in the
Inter-American Commission on Science and Technology and has provided
financial support to the projects of the Special Multilateral Fund of
the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (FEMCIDI)."
In his address, Ambassador Rabasa said the scholarship program
supported by his country "contributes to the hemispheric initiative of
Engineering for the Americas, (EFTA) and commented that "engineering and
innovation, which only result from properly trained human capital, play
a key role in raising productivity and competitiveness, which, in turn,
contribute to socio-economic development." The Mexican diplomat also
lamented the shortage of scientists and engineers in Latin America and
the Caribbean, as well as the lack of cooperation between universities
and industry, "something that affects the competitiveness of the
region."
The Executive Director of AMEXCID, Minister Juan Manuel Valle
Pereña said that the goal of the initiative signed by the three
institutions is to strengthen regional capacities and to
"institutionalize the collaborative work with the OAS." "The cooperation
is focused on expanding educational opportunities in the Hemisphere and
human capital development in member states. With this, Mexico reaffirms
its commitment to the vision and principles of the OAS Democratic
Charter, while laying new ground for regional development cooperation,"
he said.
With regards to the 100 graduate scholarships for Central
America and the Caribbean, Minister Valle stressed that "they are a
reflection of the importance that Mexico assigns to those regions, whose
prosperity and growth are linked to ours."
The Director General of CONACYT, Enrique Cabrero, emphasized the
new challenges faced by global economies, an environment in which
professionals require more and better training, preparation and
specialization. "Investment in science and technology is a way to
achieve a better development," he recalled, while specifying that it is
the policy of the current government of Mexico to double the investment
in science and technology and to promote this area in other countries in
the region.
Cabrero described the various initiatives promoted by CONACYT,
as well as its work in promoting science and technology at the highest
level. "Access to the knowledge economy is possible only if we promote
high-level educational training. We are in a globalized world in which
the knowledge generated by experts is a public good, requiring creative
and innovative solutions that cross borders and disciplines to tackle
global problems," he said.
The scholarship program was formalized today with the signing of
the First Addendum to the CONACYT-OAS Cooperation Agreement and aims
primarily to improve the scientific and technological capabilities of
graduate students in the region, and increase mobility. The 600
fellowships will be distributed over five years and will include monthly
support and health services during the stay in Mexico, the possibility
of studying outside of Mexico, moving costs, and the possibility of
receiving partial or total tuition discounts at universities associated
with the OAS.
The donation of scholarships is given as a contribution of CONACYT for the implementation of the Panama Action Plan 2012-2016
adopted at the Ministerial Meeting on Science and Technology of 2011,
and was first announced during the Seventh Session of the Inter-American
Committee on Science and Technology (COMCYT) held at the OAS in October
2012. Additional information about the initiative is available here.
Prior to the signing ceremony, Ambassador Rabasa and the AMEXCID
and CONACYT authorities met with Secretary General Insulza and
discussed the possibility of including language learning as part of the
scholarships, especially for students from the Caribbean, who have
expressed strong interest in participating in the programs and who see
the language as a barrier to accessing them.
For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.orgspan>
© Copyright 2013 by thebahamasweekly.com
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