Magellan Sails Again. The Magalhães Network: a Route for International Collaboration

UNAM operates numerous strategies to enhance and fortify its relationships with the world’s top higher education institutions (HEIs). One such strategy is participating in networks, associations, and global consortia, reinforcing the fundamental principles that guide UNAM’s work: the internationalization of higher education, collaborative research, improved job prospects for graduates in the global labor market, and the disseminating of Mexican culture.

THE MAGALHÃES NETWORK PROMOTES THE SYSTEMATIC EXCHANGE OF BEST PRACTICES INTHE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION

One of the most influential networks with which UNAM works is the Magalhães Network. This powerful tool promotes relations between professionals, academics, and experts from various disciplines on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. The name of this network pays tribute to the Renaissance adventurer who undertook the first round-the-world trip and thus pioneered globalization.

The Magalhães Network was established in 2005 to promote academic collaboration and exchange between Europe and the Latin American and Caribbean region. It has the participation of several universities, faculties, and schools specialized in technology, engineering, and architecture, both public and private. The network comprises eighteen Latin American and Caribbean HEIs and twenty European HEIs (see infographic).
The network offers valuable and organized resources, including the Monitoring Committee, which oversees actions and programs, and the SMILE agreements, explained below. These tools enable students from participating institutions to exchange ideas, broaden their academic and cultural perspectives by studying in foreign countries, and experience international educational environments.

The network promotes the systematic exchange of best practices in the internationalization of higher education. This allows the member HEIs to learn from each other and improve their internationalization strategies to strengthen their position in the global educational landscape.

Magalhães also has a platform for developing joint projects, through which it establishes and strengthens relationships among member HEIs. In this virtual space, institutions can share research, articles, projects, and resources, thus promoting their work within the network. Meanwhile, the network is open to effective collaboration with professionals in each field. The network holds yearly general assemblies to enhance collaboration, assess new memberships, projects, and agreements [see box]. Additionally, the network frequently hosts conferences, seminars, webinars, and face-to-face events focused on specialized topics in each country within the network. These events offer valuable opportunities for global interaction and coordination.


As a member of the Magalhães Network, UNAM has access to a worldwide community of skilled experts and professionals. This provides ample opportunities for collaboration and knowledge-sharing in a dynamic environment. By becoming a part of Magalhães, institutions, and members —researchers and students— can establish valuable connections and engage in meaningful collaborations with colleagues from the two major regions that the network connects. It is an environment that generates new and better strategies for exchanging knowledge and experiences. The impact of these interactions on the expansion of knowledge in the most diverse fields, as well as on the very development of nations, comes naturally.

As a member of the Magalhães Network, the UNAM community has privileged access to grants, exchange programs, employment opportunities, and project funding.

SMILE!
Some of the most important initiatives of the Magalhães Network are the agreements known as Student Mobility in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe (SMILE). SMILE agreements allow students to spend one or two semesters in foreign institutions without incurring additional costs. UNAM has established SMILE agreements with several universities worldwide. These agreements have allowed our students to carry out academic activities abroad. As a result, their international curricula and global competencies are strengthened, a must for professional development in an interconnected world.

The Magalhães Network catalyzes the development and internationalization of our institutions and university communities by connecting global minds and fostering cooperation. By joining this network’s commitments, UNAM builds bridges that transcend borders and create a brighter future for higher education. Half a millennium after the end of Ferdinand Magellan’s voyage (although without him because he died during the adventure), who circumnavigated the planet for the first time, his spirit links us again.

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