Ambassador of Portugal learns about Tec’s innovation projects

João Caetano Da Silva, Ambassador of Portugal to Mexico, learned about the innovation projects of Tecnológico de Monterrey during his visit to the Monterrey campus.

David Garza, rector and executive president of the Tec, accompanied the European diplomat to the FEMSA Biotechnology Center, as well as to technological innovation spaces in the Rector’s Building and the Library.

The ambassador’s visit to the Tec, which took place on July 9, corresponds to the search for opportunities to create joint projects with the funding Portugal receives from the European Union.

“We have a privileged relationship with Brazil in this region, but we would like to strengthen and increase our bilateral relationship with Mexico at all levels.

“When you think about scientific, academic and university-level cooperation between Portugal and Mexico, you naturally think of Tec de Monterrey,” he said.

“When you think about scientific, academic and university-level cooperation between Portugal and Mexico, you naturally think of Tec de Monterrey.”

Collaboration with an impact on society

Da Silva mentions that this unique opportunity could continue for years through projects in the university, academic, and scientific sectors.

“With the approval of the recovery and resilience plan in Europe, which will greatly benefit countries such as Portugal, there is a unique opportunity to strengthen this cooperation over the next 7 years.

“This is the message that I have brought today: to take advantage of these seven years of opportunities and funding,” says the ambassador.

On his visit, the diplomat was joined by Carlos Salazar Lomelín, president of the Business Coordinating Council; and Odracir Barquera, general director for planning at the same organization.

They were accompanied by Hugo Garza, vice president of Strategic Projects; Mario Adrián Flores, vice president of the Monterrey Region campus; and Manuel Zertuche, dean of the School of Engineering and Sciences at the Tec.

He also says that the outcome of this collaboration will have a positive impact on the lives of citizens.

“It’s increasingly important in the 21st century to have complete results, not in terms of diplomas, nor in terms of courses, but in terms of improving quality of life for developing societies,” he said.

During the ambassador’s visit to the state of Nuevo León, he also had a meeting with Jaime Rodríguez, the state governor.

The tour of the Monterrey campus

The Rector’s Building, which bears a work created by the muralist José González Camarena, was the starting point for the ambassador’s visit.

The ground floor of the Rector’s Building was the first stop, where some Educational Technology projects were presented.

Among these was the use of Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence and even holographic two-dimensional projection to teach remote classes.

The visit also included the FEMSA Biotechnology Center, home to laboratories such as the Tec BASE genome sequencing lab, the only one of its kind in Latin America.

Last on the tour was the campus library, where David Garza and Hugo Garza presented some different projects undertaken by the institution

“The Tec stands for academic excellence and forging strong relationships between academia and the world of industry and business.

“Using that parameter, I confess that I have seen greater advances here than those I have seen in Portuguese universities,” said Garza.

João Caetano Da Silva has been Ambassador of Portugal to Mexico on 2 occasions and has twice been the recipient of the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle: in 2011 and in 2020.

Mexico is Portugal’s second largest trading partner in Latin America, after Brazil. In 2018, bilateral trade amounted to 853.3 million US dollars.

Portugal was Mexico’s 50th biggest commercial partner and 15th among European Union (EU) member states.

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