The University of Illinois is strengthening its ties with Mexico through new academic and research partnerships.
The (Champaign) News-Gazette reports university President Tim Killeen signed agreements during a trip to Mexico last week. He says they are part of the university's efforts to diversify international student enrollment and increase its global impact.
One agreement would send doctoral students funded by the Mexican government to the system's three universities. In a separate partnership, researchers in Illinois will team with the Department of Health in Mexico City to study diabetes and obesity. Both are major health problems in Mexico.
The partnerships could eventually bring as many as 2,000 undergraduates from Mexico to University of Illinois campuses.
Killeen says he hopes to create similar relationships with research centers around the world.
