The University of California (UC) is a global leader in research and innovation, but its story is not just about labs, rankings, and discoveries. It’s also about relationships—especially the growing partnership between California and Mexico. At the center of this work is UC Alianza MX, a system-wide initiative that bringstogether faculty, students, and policymakers on both sides of the border to tackle shared challenges and create new opportunities.
Why International Partnerships Matter
California and Mexico are bound not only by geography but also by economics, history, and culture. Mexico is California’s largest export destination, valued at $33.3 billion in 2023 (Fernandez de Castro, 2025). At the same time, California is home to the nation’s largest Mexican and Mexican-American community (per the U.S. Census Bureau), making binational collaboration directly relevant to the lived experiences of many UC students and their families. State and national leaders have reaffirmed the importance of this relationship. Recent commitments by Governor Gavin Newsom and Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlight a shared agenda around sustainability, trade, and border cooperation (Gobierno de México, 2023; Los Angeles Times, 2023). For the UC, these ties are not only strategic—they are a natural extension of its mission as a public research university serving diverse communities.
What UC Alianza MX Does
Established in 2019, UC Alianza MX unites decades of UC–Mexico engagement, bringing under one umbrellaprograms such as UC MEXUS, the UC–Mexico Initiative, and La Casa de la Universidad de California in Mexico City. Its mission is to strengthen binational partnerships, expand academic mobility, and support collaborative research with real-world impact. UC Alianza MX advances its mission in three principal ways:
1) Funding Collaborative Research – Since 2020, it has supported more than 40 new projects in areas like agriculture, health, natural resources, and technology.
2) Expanding Student Mobility and talent development – More than 500 UC students have participated in programs in Mexico, gaining firsthand experience that broadens perspectives and career trajectories.
3) Maintaining a Presence in Mexico – Through La Casa in Mexico City, the UC has a permanent hubfor partnership, hosting activities and events beyond the university and involving other California entities. Because of this, Casa is often described as “California’s embassy” in Mexico.
One standout example of how UC Alianza MX is working on supporting binational talent development is the Climate Ambassadors Program, which provides a framework for students both in Mexico and California to address real-world challenges related to sustainability and the shared climate agenda. In just two years, 46 students from five UC campuses and six Mexican partner institutions have participated in the program, supported by 47 academic and industry mentors. Participants get to meet and work with like-minded student leaders, connect with a mentor in their field and complete internships with organizations such as Conservation International, Mujeres en Energía Renovable México (MERM), and the Governors’ Climate & Forest TaskForce. Their stories illustrate how binational collaboration directly enriches students’ academic and professional journeys.
For students like Gabriel Lopez, from UC Merced, the program was transformative: “One of the reasons that I joined the Climate Ambassador Initiative was the opportunity to become incorporated in a network of professional individuals and academic researchers that are all fighting the climate change crisis. This program offered me great professional development opportunities including mentorships, coursework, and workshops.” The opportunity for students to connect professionally with key organizations within this shared ecosystem is one of the program’s main innovations. As Alexa Magallón, a Universidad Panamericana student who completed an internship at Conservation International Mexico, shared: “One of the highlights I enjoyed the most was the opportunity to participate in an internship. This experience has been incredibly enriching, as it allowed me to explore environmental and gender-related issues, while also applying the knowledge I gained through my work with the Outreach and Communications Committee.”
Lessons for Other Institutions of Higher Education
The UC Alianza MX model offers practical lessons for other institutions interested in building international collaborations.
· Leverage faculty networks: Partnerships often begin with faculty “champions” who have existing tiesabroad. Supporting these individuals can lay the groundwork for larger institutional collaborations.
· Engage broader ecosystems: UC Alianza MX has partnered with state and local governments on bothsides of the border, as well as business hubs and other relevant stakeholders, to build diverse networks and share insights that can guide decision makers. These partnerships also foster discussions on real-world challenges that can shape new research and talent development agendas. For example, in August 2025, Alianza MX co-hosted a Regional Sustainable Development Summit with the BajaCalifornia state government, bringing together academics, policymakers, and industry leaders toaddress sustainable mobility and energy transition.
· Prioritize holistic student experiences: Programs that combine traditional academic exchange components such as language and cultural immersion with innovative add-ons of curricular or professional value, such as internships, fieldwork, or service-learning make mobility experiences more attractive and impactful for students.
· Start small, scale up: Modest investments, like travel stipends for conferences, can spark long-term collaborations that eventually expand into research networks and institutional agreements.
Looking Ahead
As global challenges grow increasingly complex, the need for cross-border collaboration has never been clearer. Programs like UC Alianza MX demonstrate how higher education can serve as a bridge uniting people, ideas, and resources in the pursuit of share progress.
For Latino students, especially those with ties to Mexico, these partnerships resonate in personal and powerful ways. They create spaces where cultural heritage and academic opportunity intersect, preparing the next generation of leaders to thrive in a globalized world.
“Together, we have the potential to create a future where knowledge knows no borders,” note UC Alianza MX leaders. This vision, where research, policy, and student opportunity are interwoven, offers a roadmap for institutions nationwide seeking to deepen their international engagement.
References
Fernández de Castro, R. (2025). Decentralized and strategic diplomacy: Mexico-California-Texas. ReVista: Harvard Review of Latin America. https://revista.drclas.harvard.edu/spotlights/mexico-white-papers
Gobierno de México. (2023). Mexico and California reaffirm their interest in strengthening the bilateral relationship and addressing shared challenges. Gobierno de México. https://www.gob.mx/sre/prensa/mexico-and-california-reaffirm-their-interest-in-
strengthening-the-bilateral-relationship-and-addressing-shared-challenges
California Environmental Protection Agency. (2023). California-Mexico Border Relations Council. California Environmental ProtectionAgency. https://calepa.ca.gov/border-
affairs-program/california-mexico-border-relations-council/
Ulloa, J., & Luna, T. (2023, October 8). Newsom commits to ties with Mexico. Los Angeles Times.https://enewspaper.latimes.com/infinity/article_share.aspx?guid=97518f04-32d5-
446a-b4fe-54e87a09a237
About the author
Rodolfo H. Torres, Faculty Director, University of California Alianza MX; Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development, and Distinguished Professor of Mathematics, University of California, Riverside. Heprovides a broad vision and executive leadership for Alianza MX, as well as campus-wide research initiatives and is responsible for inspiring and managing a diverse portfolio of research as well as economic development.
