.

FUMEC is a unique international organization. Born with the North American Free Trade Agreement as the U.S.-Mexico Foundation for Science, FUMEC’s objective is to make science, technology, and education key components of the North American Innovation and Competitiveness Agenda.

FUMEC is a non-governmental organization with an endowment that was created by the U.S. and the Mexican governments. The Foundation has a binational board of governors representing the business, academic, and policy sectors of both countries. Its programs have been Mexico-centered with the goal of incorporating the advanced experiences and networks of the United States and Canada.

The Foundation has proven to be an effective means for generating new and innovative binational collaboration programs that have, for example:

  • Developed a network of international technology business accelerators, TechBA, that has provided advanced business development and commercial support to over 600 Mexican technology based SMEs. The TechBA network has offices in Silicon Valley, Austin, Seattle, Detroit, Phoenix, Montreal, Vancouver and Madrid.
  • Brought to Mexico advanced Inquiry Based Science Education Systems (IBSE) originally developed in the United States that are now used in public schools with the financial support of the Mexican federal and state governments. This year, 420,000 students will benefit from these education systems, and the goal is to reach 2 million students by the 2016-2017 school year.

The basic objective of these programs is to accelerate economic growth through innovation and improved competitiveness. Education is an essential basis for innovation, particularly STEM education. FUMEC looks to secure the early STEM talent pipeline through effective IBSE in elementary schools in Mexico, and STEM education that provides the cognitive skills and scientific attitudes needed in innovative companies.

The innovation driven economic development programs of FUMEC include the development of regional innovation networks that start with direct support of companies with strong growth potential to strengthen their technological and business capabilities. Selected companies have business and technology teams that are willing to learn, to change and to keep improving continuously.

The integration of the innovation network considers local “champions” as key elements that provide the grassroots leadership to ensure shared vision, team work, and effective synergies among the key players.

The human factor becomes the most important element, both within a particular company and in the regional innovation network. We look for people that are able to face new challenges with confidence in their capability to learn, understand, generate creative solutions, work in teams and build long term visions that guide the sustained growth of their respective companies and regions.

Looking to the future and understanding the importance of these characteristics in the people that will ensure sustained growth, FUMEC gives top priority to work with education systems that develop: cognitive skills, in-depth learning to cultivate self confidence in the individual’s capability to learn, project work with real problems, and well-developed implementation procedures. After years of binational collaboration with key players in the U.S. and Mexico, we have been able to develop the mechanisms in Mexico to test, adapt, and implement two important U.S. STEM education models:

  • The K-9 Science and Technology for Children (STC) curriculum of the Smithsonian Institution Science Education Center—previously the National Science Resources Center
  • The 10-12 Project Lead the Way Curriculum (PLTW) used in many advanced magnet schools, like the South Texas Science Academy.

The Science and Technology for Children curriculum was initially brought to Mexico through an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences and the NSRC, several pilot projects were organized with support of the Mexican Secretary of Education, the Mexican Academy of Sciences, and several Foundations like the Fundación Pulsar and the Youth Foundation.

In 2001, FUMEC organized the second IBSE International Conference and strong promoters of IBSE participated, like Dr. Bruce Alberts, then President of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States. They convinced Dr. Reyes Tames, then Secretary of Education in Mexico, and  community leaders of the importance of IBSE as a model to be used in the whole country. That same year FUMEC convened a group of business leaders lead by Jaime Lomelín and Leopoldo Rodriguez; academic leaders involving Mario Molina, Pablo Rudomín, Jose Luis Fernandez Sayas; and recognized leaders of the community like Fernando Solana, to organize INNOVEC (Innovation in Science Education) as a NGO to promote and facilitate the implementation of IBSE in Mexican schools.

INNOVEC was created with strong support of the Mexican Secretary of Education and in a short time both signed an agreement to channel federal resources to Mexican states, where IBSE programs were organized with the technical support of INNOVEC.

Since 2001, IBSE programs have been growing, and in 2013 they involve 420,000 students of public schools in 11 states. Mr. Emilio Chuayffet, present Secretary of Education is supportiive of IBSE state programs, and it is planned to have them grow during the coming years. Growth is conditioned by the need to develop adequate infrastructure in each state, including a trust fund to receive the funds from the federal and state governments, a materials resource center, a program support team including pedagogical advisors, and strong links with local education research and support organizations.

The IBSE model of the Smithsonian Science Education Center, the Science and Technology for Children Curriculum, requires a systems approach to insure that a teacher in the school room has all that is needed to insure an effective student learning process. This means: adequate training of the teachers, basic equipment, materials and living organisms, besides teachers guides, student notebooks and, in Mexico, pedagogical advisors that visit the school rooms, observe the classes, and help the teachers to reflect on his/her pedagogical practices and on the opportunities to improve them.

The work with IBSE means a considerable change in the schools and in their support systems. It is immediately recognized as a positive change, but it requires effort and organization. INNOVEC looks for the best international experiences to enrich and improve the IBSE programs in Mexico. It has built excellent relations with organizations and specialists in the United States, France, Canada, Chile, the U.K, Sweden, Germany, Australia, China, and several other countries. These relations have facilitated the organization of seven International Conferences and the involvement of both FUMEC and INNOVEC in international networks that look for improvements in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education worldwide.

FUMEC and INNOVEC have participated in the Science Education Program (SEP) of the Inter Academy Panel, that has played a crucial role in facilitating international collaboration on IBSE. The effective leaderships and hard work of Jorge Allende of Chile and Pierre Lena of France have set up the basis for IBSE international collaboration programs. Dato Lee Yee Cheong of Malaysia is now chairing these efforts and will surely facilitate the involvement in IBSE programs of UNESCO and important Foundations and Business organizations.

Innovation is a key driver of economic development and IBSE programs provide an effective education base for the students that will play an important role in the innovation processes. International collaboration will surely facilitate the involvement of governments, business organizations, academic institutions, and the community at large to improve the education systems with IBSE and other similar models.

Guillermo Fernández de la Garza is the CEO of the U.S.-Mexico Foundation for Science (FUMEC), an NGO sponsored by both governments. He is also a board member of INNOVEC and has worked in the development of Science Education Innovation programs, in Mexican Public- Private Partnerships linking industry, universities, and government.

The views presented in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of any other organization.

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www.diplomaticourier.com

Innovation, STEM Education, and International Collaboration

|
January 12, 2014

FUMEC is a unique international organization. Born with the North American Free Trade Agreement as the U.S.-Mexico Foundation for Science, FUMEC’s objective is to make science, technology, and education key components of the North American Innovation and Competitiveness Agenda.

FUMEC is a non-governmental organization with an endowment that was created by the U.S. and the Mexican governments. The Foundation has a binational board of governors representing the business, academic, and policy sectors of both countries. Its programs have been Mexico-centered with the goal of incorporating the advanced experiences and networks of the United States and Canada.

The Foundation has proven to be an effective means for generating new and innovative binational collaboration programs that have, for example:

  • Developed a network of international technology business accelerators, TechBA, that has provided advanced business development and commercial support to over 600 Mexican technology based SMEs. The TechBA network has offices in Silicon Valley, Austin, Seattle, Detroit, Phoenix, Montreal, Vancouver and Madrid.
  • Brought to Mexico advanced Inquiry Based Science Education Systems (IBSE) originally developed in the United States that are now used in public schools with the financial support of the Mexican federal and state governments. This year, 420,000 students will benefit from these education systems, and the goal is to reach 2 million students by the 2016-2017 school year.

The basic objective of these programs is to accelerate economic growth through innovation and improved competitiveness. Education is an essential basis for innovation, particularly STEM education. FUMEC looks to secure the early STEM talent pipeline through effective IBSE in elementary schools in Mexico, and STEM education that provides the cognitive skills and scientific attitudes needed in innovative companies.

The innovation driven economic development programs of FUMEC include the development of regional innovation networks that start with direct support of companies with strong growth potential to strengthen their technological and business capabilities. Selected companies have business and technology teams that are willing to learn, to change and to keep improving continuously.

The integration of the innovation network considers local “champions” as key elements that provide the grassroots leadership to ensure shared vision, team work, and effective synergies among the key players.

The human factor becomes the most important element, both within a particular company and in the regional innovation network. We look for people that are able to face new challenges with confidence in their capability to learn, understand, generate creative solutions, work in teams and build long term visions that guide the sustained growth of their respective companies and regions.

Looking to the future and understanding the importance of these characteristics in the people that will ensure sustained growth, FUMEC gives top priority to work with education systems that develop: cognitive skills, in-depth learning to cultivate self confidence in the individual’s capability to learn, project work with real problems, and well-developed implementation procedures. After years of binational collaboration with key players in the U.S. and Mexico, we have been able to develop the mechanisms in Mexico to test, adapt, and implement two important U.S. STEM education models:

  • The K-9 Science and Technology for Children (STC) curriculum of the Smithsonian Institution Science Education Center—previously the National Science Resources Center
  • The 10-12 Project Lead the Way Curriculum (PLTW) used in many advanced magnet schools, like the South Texas Science Academy.

The Science and Technology for Children curriculum was initially brought to Mexico through an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences and the NSRC, several pilot projects were organized with support of the Mexican Secretary of Education, the Mexican Academy of Sciences, and several Foundations like the Fundación Pulsar and the Youth Foundation.

In 2001, FUMEC organized the second IBSE International Conference and strong promoters of IBSE participated, like Dr. Bruce Alberts, then President of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States. They convinced Dr. Reyes Tames, then Secretary of Education in Mexico, and  community leaders of the importance of IBSE as a model to be used in the whole country. That same year FUMEC convened a group of business leaders lead by Jaime Lomelín and Leopoldo Rodriguez; academic leaders involving Mario Molina, Pablo Rudomín, Jose Luis Fernandez Sayas; and recognized leaders of the community like Fernando Solana, to organize INNOVEC (Innovation in Science Education) as a NGO to promote and facilitate the implementation of IBSE in Mexican schools.

INNOVEC was created with strong support of the Mexican Secretary of Education and in a short time both signed an agreement to channel federal resources to Mexican states, where IBSE programs were organized with the technical support of INNOVEC.

Since 2001, IBSE programs have been growing, and in 2013 they involve 420,000 students of public schools in 11 states. Mr. Emilio Chuayffet, present Secretary of Education is supportiive of IBSE state programs, and it is planned to have them grow during the coming years. Growth is conditioned by the need to develop adequate infrastructure in each state, including a trust fund to receive the funds from the federal and state governments, a materials resource center, a program support team including pedagogical advisors, and strong links with local education research and support organizations.

The IBSE model of the Smithsonian Science Education Center, the Science and Technology for Children Curriculum, requires a systems approach to insure that a teacher in the school room has all that is needed to insure an effective student learning process. This means: adequate training of the teachers, basic equipment, materials and living organisms, besides teachers guides, student notebooks and, in Mexico, pedagogical advisors that visit the school rooms, observe the classes, and help the teachers to reflect on his/her pedagogical practices and on the opportunities to improve them.

The work with IBSE means a considerable change in the schools and in their support systems. It is immediately recognized as a positive change, but it requires effort and organization. INNOVEC looks for the best international experiences to enrich and improve the IBSE programs in Mexico. It has built excellent relations with organizations and specialists in the United States, France, Canada, Chile, the U.K, Sweden, Germany, Australia, China, and several other countries. These relations have facilitated the organization of seven International Conferences and the involvement of both FUMEC and INNOVEC in international networks that look for improvements in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education worldwide.

FUMEC and INNOVEC have participated in the Science Education Program (SEP) of the Inter Academy Panel, that has played a crucial role in facilitating international collaboration on IBSE. The effective leaderships and hard work of Jorge Allende of Chile and Pierre Lena of France have set up the basis for IBSE international collaboration programs. Dato Lee Yee Cheong of Malaysia is now chairing these efforts and will surely facilitate the involvement in IBSE programs of UNESCO and important Foundations and Business organizations.

Innovation is a key driver of economic development and IBSE programs provide an effective education base for the students that will play an important role in the innovation processes. International collaboration will surely facilitate the involvement of governments, business organizations, academic institutions, and the community at large to improve the education systems with IBSE and other similar models.

Guillermo Fernández de la Garza is the CEO of the U.S.-Mexico Foundation for Science (FUMEC), an NGO sponsored by both governments. He is also a board member of INNOVEC and has worked in the development of Science Education Innovation programs, in Mexican Public- Private Partnerships linking industry, universities, and government.

The views presented in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of any other organization.