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TIES is a collaborative program between
the U.S. government, U.S. and Mexican educational institutions,
and the private sector. TIES is designed to advance the objective
of the Partnership for Prosperity, a key Presidential initiative
in 2001.
The TIES initiative facilitates pursuit of a common development
agenda between the U.S. and Mexico by enhancing the capacity
of higher education institutions of both nations to examine
mutual development problems, work in strategic alliances to
develop solutions, and create the basis for Mexico’s benefiting
more fully from NAFTA. Training from these institutions will
give Mexican participants the skills and the collaborative
links necessary for them to respond more effectively to development
challenges and opportunities.
TIES has two components:
University Partnerships
 The
University Partnership component establishes training, internship,
exchange, and scholarship relationships between U.S. and Mexican
universities to address common development problems identified
by Mexican higher education institutions and their public
and private partners. Participation in this component requires
significant implementation and financial contributions from
all partners and is determined by a competitive proposal process
conducted by a peer committee.
- Partnerships target graduate-level scholarships and most
have a rural sector focus.
- Goal of 35 partnerships and 550 scholarships. To date,
68 partnerships have been established, surpassing the original
goal; and 900 long-term scholarships awarded.
- Initial program assessment demonstrates that Mexico’s
workforce development, economic growth, and competitiveness
has improved.
- Higher Education for Development (HED) is USAID’s implementing
partner for this TIES component. For more information, see
http://www.HEDprogram.org
Scholarships for Teachers and Youth
 The
Community College Scholarship component provides support for
disadvantaged Mexican youth living in rural, poor areas to
study 2 years at U.S. Community Colleges in programs designed
to improve their technical skills so that they can better
address development problems. Fields of study include but
are not limited to Integrated Natural Resource Technology,
Agribusiness for Export and Electronics Technology for Manufacturing.
Also supports quality basic education through 1-year scholarships
to Mexican rural teachers to strengthen rural primary education
for indigenous children. The Office of Indigenous Education
of the Secretariat of Public Education is a key partner
in this program.
- Goal of at least 200 scholarships. To date, 256 scholarships
have been awarded.
- Upon their return, youth are assisted in obtaining gainful
employment and teachers return to apply newly-gained skills
in rural classrooms. All scholarship recipients lead and
implement community service projects.
- Scholarship recipients have been drawn from rural, poor
areas of Jalisco, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Distrito Federal, Michoacan, Queretaro, Guanajuato,
Oaxaca, Nayarit, San Luis Potosi and Guerrero.
- Georgetown University’s Center for Intercultural Education
and Development (CIED) is USAID’s implementation partner
for this TIES component. For more information, see http://www.georgetown.edu/cied
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