The University of Morelia in Michoacán, Mexico, and Saint Peter’s University in New Jersey have announced a new academic partnership. The agreement includes initiatives such as double degrees, certifications, short-term programs, student mobility, faculty exchanges, and joint curriculum development. A key focus of the collaboration is to lower economic barriers for students from Michoacán.
Dr. Hubert Benítez, D.D.S., Ph.D., stated that Saint Peter’s will recognize undergraduate degrees earned in Mexico. This means students can move directly into postgraduate studies at Saint Peter’s without repeating previous coursework.
On tuition costs, Dr. Benítez said there is no fixed amount since it depends on factors like program length, number of courses taken, whether classes are online or in-person, campus housing choices, and immigration status. He added: “We want to eliminate the financial barrier to accessing a higher education program at Saint Peter’s University,” and noted that all students would receive some form of financial aid.
Guillermo de Vega, Ph.D., MBA, executive vice president and director of operations at Saint Peter’s University explained that the partnership will offer options including fully online programs as well as hybrid or on-campus experiences with immersion components. He also mentioned that the financial model could be adjusted based on student numbers and academic experience preferences.
Representatives from the University of Morelia included Dr. Alfredo Neftalí López Lora from Physical Culture and Sports; Valeria Mendoza Loaiza, Director of the Faculty of Art History; and Wendy Vianney Picho Rivas, director of the Faculty of Business. They discussed specific needs such as short stays and certifications in exercise science and physical education; teacher exchanges; master classes; and strengthening curricula in business, digital art, art history, video games, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence with an ethical perspective.
Leonardo Chauca, Director of University Outreach and Welfare at UdeMorelia highlighted the importance of launching an initial masterclass or shared academic activity to formally begin the collaboration.
Pedro Chávez Villa, rector of Udem (University of Morelia), said the university is currently reviewing its academic model to adapt to global trends in higher education. He explained that their guiding principle is: each human being as a principle; a free society as a goal. Chávez Villa said this alliance offers an opportunity to rethink curricula, boost internationalization efforts and provide students with skills relevant to today’s changing job market.
