Ecuador's government understands that capable research universities can help in solving the country's pressing socio-economic problems. However, research capabilities and research productivity in its national universities have historically been low, as professors primarily teach and often do not have the inclination, the ability, or the…

An international Latin American student fraternity movement preceded the current Latino Greeks that are seen on college campuses today. This document provides new information that has not been published. The movement lasted 86 years and primarily served wealthy international Latin American students who came to the United States to study and, once…

This study uses narrative analysis to understand the ways in which Mexican university faculty members used their self-motivational resources to persist in an instructional technology training program within adverse work conditions. The methodology included interviews and participant observation. Findings suggest that faculty's academic…

Ecuador's higher education system is undergoing dramatic changes. The National Constitution of 2008 and the Higher Education Law of 2010 have changed the way Ecuador's universities are funded, administered, and accredited. The importance of research was elevated and drastic changes were made to the academic qualifications and employment…

This study describes the effects of neo-liberal restructuring for universities upon the reconfiguration of academics' work context in a public state university in Mexico. Findings show that implementation of the federal program titled Faculty Enhancement Program during the late 1990s created a separation between traditional and new academic…

On October 18, 2003, one of the authors had the privilege of giving one of the keynote speeches to the Ford Foundation Fellows Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, that was titled "The Making of a Ford Fellow: A Trek Towards Excellence in Applied Social Science," which explained that he managed to develop some of the ideas that led to the…

Preparing teachers to meet the educational needs of bilingual Latino students in U.S. schools has been termed a demographic imperative. This study explored 57 U.S. teachers' reactions and reflections to participation in a simulation experience held during a teaching/learning experience in Mexico as part of their master's program in bilingual/ESL…

This article reviews the current model of governance within Spanish universities, focusing on the areas of state regulation, academic goals, and organizational management. A qualitative approach was adopted for this research, comprising the use of a survey and a focus group. The conclusions of this study provide some insights into the new…

Research about the benefits of interactional diversity in college has been conducted at various U.S. institutions, but little research has focused on border colleges. This study explores the extent to which students at U.S.-Mexico border institutions reported having cross-racial and cross-ethnic interactions that researchers suggest promote…

In 1997, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio established the Regional Academic Health Center (RAHC) for the Lower Rio Grande Valley in south Texas. Through medical education programs, research facilities, and partnerships with health-care providers, the RAHC aims to improve the health status and access to health services…

Using mixed methods of inquiry, this study examines the impact of experiential learning on Latino/a college students' development as they move away from home to study and do community service in another country. Journals reveal that students developed their identity, relationships, awareness of structural inequalities, and connectedness to…

This article is designed to survey mid-20th century American perceptions of Latin America through popular culture. It focuses on an analysis of the motion picture treatment of Latin America in the American film Juarez. The plot, characters, and cinematography have all been influenced by the social and political climate in the United States and…

This study investigated the personal and organizational characteristics that facilitate collaborative efforts between U.S. and Mexican institutions of higher education (IHEs) along the U.S.-Mexico border. The importance of collaborative efforts between IHEs will only intensify as the economic, social, cultural, and political forces that shape the…

First-year research conducted by the authors of a 3-year, cross-cultural, professional development project involving English-as-a-Foreign Language (EFL) teachers at a private pre-K-12 school in central Mexico. Findings indicate that key elements of the integrative-systematic approach - developed to respond to the combined need for equity and…

An instrument was constructed to assess faculty attitudes toward university students with disabilities and accommodations in the United States and Mexico. Faculty in the United States were more positive about their professional development and had more positive general assumptions about students with disabilities. Faculty in both countries were…