Mexico City, July 31, 2023.- In order to position our university as an institution of academic excellence at an international level, each year our university welcomes professors from different universities around the world. Universidad Panamericana as an institution of academic excellence at an international level, every year our university welcomes professors from different universities around the world, who provide our students with a global vision of their area of expertise.
This summer was no exception, as we welcomed Dr. Kevin Mac Gabhann, Director of International Relations and Associate Professor at the University of Strasbourg, France; and Dr. Domitilla Magni, Associate Professor at the eCampus Facoltà di Strasbourg, France. eCampus Facoltàin Italy.
Valuable connections
Due to his duties at the University of Strasbourg, Dr. Mac Gabhann is a frequent traveler. He explains that Panamericana has been a partner of the Strasbourg Business School for more than a decade.
So he says: "My main motivation is to come and teach in an international environment, but it is also to help our institutions build stronger ties.
Dr. Magni said that the academic excellence and multidisciplinary approach of our university were the characteristics that motivated her to come during the summer.
He also believes that our university "demonstrates a commitment to internationalization by fostering partnerships that offer valuable study opportunities and programs, engage faculty and promote cultural events and initiatives".
He adds, "These efforts contribute to a global educational experience that prepares students for an incredibly interconnected world.
Global perspective
Dr. Mac Gabhann says that, for young Mexican students, "having a professor from another country gives them a global perspective and the soft skills needed to work in such an environment.
"A business student needs the hard skills, but also to have a global perspective, why? To be ready for the 21st century job market with a broader perspective and to represent Mexico to be able to do business abroad," says the professor.
Domitila says the same: "In today's global market, employers highly value candidates with intercultural skills, as the ability to work effectively with people from different backgrounds, manage in multicultural work environments and communicate in different languages is in high demand".
Recommended experience
Both academics know that, as teachers, they are not exempt from requiring the competencies offered by academic exchange for the performance of their work.
Indeed, Dr. Mac Gabhann points out that experience is of great relevance: "A member of the Business School has to have the skills to work internationally in any area, research, teaching etc. This is a global world, not only in business, but also in academia".
"I would recommend to all my colleagues around the world to have the opportunity to teach outside their country, because we as professors also have to be globally competent. It helps us to expand our connections, our relationships and see how different institutions work and how different students behave," he states.
While Dr. Magni concludes that for teachers: "Teaching in an international environment requires cultural sensitivity and adaptability; enabling teachers to develop competencies in intercultural teaching, to learn to adapt to different learning styles and to create inclusive learning environments".
"For a student, interacting with students and teachers from different backgrounds exposes them to different perspectives, traditions and ways of thinking. This contributes to the development of cultural awareness, empathy and a broader understanding of the world," he says.
