Garhwal Post Bureau
DEHRADUN, 12 Sep: Doon University, India, and the Centre for Research and Advanced Studies (CINVESTAV), Mexico, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Friday to strengthen international collaboration in higher education and research. CINVESTAV, established in 1961, is a federally funded public research institution with 11 campuses across Mexico and global recognition in science, engineering and humanities. The partnership aims to promote joint research, faculty and student exchange, academic programmes and collaborative initiatives across disciplines including computer science, physics, mathematics, economics, culture, biological sciences, environmental sciences, psychology and urban development management.
The MoU signing ceremony was attended by Lt. Gen. Gurmit Singh (Chancellor of Doon University and Governor of Uttarakhand); Deepti Ganji (Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India in Mexico, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India); Prof Surekha Dangwal (Vice Chancellor of Doon University); Prof Alberto Sánchez Hernández (Director General of CINVESTAV); Prof Martha Espinosa (Coordinator, International Relations, CINVESTAV); Prof Janet Murbartian (Secretary of Planning, CINVESTAV); Dr Abdel Perez Lorenzana (Academic Secretary of CINVESTAV); and Dr Arun Kumar (Director, Research & Development, Doon University) along with senior officials and scientists from CINVESTAV, faculty members, researchers, students and distinguished guests.
Governor Gurmit Singh described the collaboration as a milestone in India–Mexico academic engagement. He urged both the institutions to move swiftly from signing to implementation. He emphasised the need for joint working groups to identify priority areas and deliver measurable outcomes. Surekha Dangwal highlighted the wide scope of cooperation, including joint projects, exchange programmes, seminars, workshops and exploration of joint degrees, stressing that the partnership would cover diverse fields of science, technology and humanities.
Deepti Ganji underlined the role of Ambassador Pankaj Sharma in fostering India–Mexico academic linkages and recalled Doon University’s earlier MoU with UNAM’s Instituto de Química in 2023. She noted that the new partnership builds on bilateral initiatives such as the CSIR–AMEXCID MoU and India’s PURSE and PAIR programmes, pointing to Doon University’s NAAC Grade “A” accreditation and its growing national profile. Prof Alberto Sánchez Hernández expressed confidence that the complementary strengths of both institutions would create substantial opportunities for joint research, knowledge exchange and student development. Dr Abdel Perez Lorenzana outlined CINVESTAV’s academic programmes and said the MoU would open new avenues for scientific cooperation.
Pankaj Sharma of UNAM extended support to the partnership, calling it an example of strong international cooperation.
Registrar Durgesh Dimri RP Mamgain, Prof BS Bisht, Dr Himani Sharma and Dr Charu Dwivedi were also present at the event.
This collaboration, according to the leadership of both institutions, is expected to foster innovative models of academic cooperation, encourage faculty and student mobility, and create new opportunities for joint degrees and international research projects. It reflects the shared vision of Doon University and CINVESTAV to work beyond institutional boundaries and contribute meaningfully to the global academic community.
