The University of Queensland (UQ) has formalised a new partnership with the Federación de Instituciones Mexicanas Particulares de Educación Superior (FIMPES), marking a significant step towards deeper, system-level collaboration between Australia and Mexico.
The agreement, signed on June 3, connects UQ with a network of 112 private higher education institutions and more than one million students, enabling expanded research collaboration, student mobility and knowledge exchange at scale.
More than 60 participants from across the FIMPES network and diplomatic community joined the virtual signing event. The partnership builds on strong existing ties, including more than 560 joint research publications, a growing cohort of Mexican doctoral students at UQ, and more than 500 alumni across the country.
UQ Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global Partnerships) Mr Brett Lovegrove said the agreement represents a shift towards more coordinated, high-impact collaboration.
“Through FIMPES, we now have the opportunity to extend this engagement further — moving beyond individual collaborations to connect with a national network of institutions, and to scale cooperation in a more coordinated and impactful way,” Mr Lovegrove said.
“This system-level engagement is particularly powerful. It allows us to share knowledge more effectively, build new academic connections, and create broader opportunities for students and researchers across both countries.”
The partnership will advance collaboration across shared priority areas, including advanced manufacturing; energy and resources; health and biomedical sciences; resilient communities and environment; urban design and sustainable infrastructure; and sustainable agrifood.
UQ leadership, led by Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Deborah Terry AC and Chancellor Peter Varghese AO, met with FIMPES in Mexico in October 2025. Since then, the partnership has progressed rapidly, with two joint initiatives already underway.
The Joint UQ–FIMPES Research Seed Funding Program, announced in May, is the first of its kind for FIMPES with an international university, with each partner committing USD$10,000 to support up to two projects.
FIMPES PhD students will also participate in the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, with UQ sponsoring the 2026 Mexican National 3MT, delivered with the Mexican Council for Graduate Studies (COMEPO). UQ will host two winners — one from a private institution and one from a public institution — for research visits following the national final in Tijuana in September.
Secretary General of FIMPES, Dr Bernardo González-Aréchiga, said the early progress reflects the strong alignment between UQ and its member institutions, as well as a shared commitment to delivering impactful, outcomes-focused collaboration.
“For FIMPES, the signing of this International Cooperation Agreement with The University of Queensland has a very special meaning. It takes place as we commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Mexico and Australia. This reminds us that academic cooperation is one of the most solid, generous, and enduring ways to bring countries closer together,” he said.
“The signing of this agreement marks the beginning of a relationship that we hope will grow and become stronger over the years. It commits us to working with seriousness, openness, and a forward-looking vision. It invites us to build networks of trust among researchers, students, institutions, and countries.”
The UQ–FIMPES partnership is expected to strengthen academic networks, accelerate research translation, and equip students with global perspectives to address complex international challenges, supporting UQ’s strategy for long-term, high-impact global collaboration.
