Global Engagement
Queen鈥檚 and Mexico launch new research and learning hub
April 14, 2025
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Ambassador of Mexico to Canada Carlos Joaqu铆n Gonz谩lez and Vice-Provost (Global Engagement) Sandra den Otter during the Mexico-Canada Research and Learning Hub signing ceremony.
Queen鈥檚 has partnered with the Embassy of Mexico in Canada to establish the Mexico-Canada Research and Learning Hub, aimed at fostering closer ties among Mexican and Canadian researchers, academics, and students. The hub will facilitate connections, encourage collaboration, and continue the momentum of several ongoing research and academic connections between the countries.
The hub鈥檚 launch coincides with the 80th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations between Mexico and Canada. Ambassador of Mexico to Canada Carlos Joaqu铆n Gonz谩lez and Vice-Provost (Global Engagement) Sandra den Otter formalized the initiative at a signing ceremony on Apr. 1, 2025, attended by Queen鈥檚 leaders, faculty, staff, students, embassy representatives, and notable guests, including Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) President Alejandro Adem, Queen鈥檚 Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) Matthew Evans, and Vice-Principal (Research) Nancy Ross.
鈥淭he Mexico-Canada Research and Learning Hub will enable academics in Canadian universities to establish and enhance relationships while collaborating across borders to improve teaching, research, and knowledge mobilization in both nations,鈥 says Vice-Provost den Otter. 鈥淨ueen鈥檚 already has strong research ties with Mexico and this initiative will allow researchers to deepen these collaborations. On behalf of Queen鈥檚, I extend my gratitude to Ambassador Gonz谩lez and his team for their support in this partnership, which will enrich how we work to address our shared opportunities and challenges, especially during times of geo-political uncertainty.鈥
Hosted by Queen鈥檚, the hub will serve as a virtual platform for academic collaboration, encouraging new and expanded research and educational initiatives across disciplines. It will facilitate knowledge sharing through diverse activities, including collaborative research, research funding applications, lecture series, webinars, networking events, cooperative projects, and student engagement initiatives.
Since 2021, Queen鈥檚 researchers have worked with collaborators across 59 institutions in Mexico, co-authoring nearly 200 publications across a range of fields, such as medicine, physics, and engineering. Currently, ten researchers from Queen鈥檚 are conducting research in Mexico, including chemical engineering professor Carlos Escobedo, who was honoured by the Embassy of Mexico in Canada with a Distinguished Mexican Abroad Award in 2024.
鈥淭his new hub represents the natural evolution of a rich history of collaborations and connections between professors, researchers, and students at Queen鈥檚 and in Mexico,鈥 says Escobedo, who is serving as co-academic lead of the hub. 鈥淚t is a wonderful demonstration of friendship and mutual commitment, and I look forward to what those involved are able to accomplish together.鈥
Learn more about the Mexico-Canada Research and Learning Hub and how it aligns with Queen鈥檚 Global Engagement Strategic Plan 2023-2028.