Guanajuato, Gto., February 13, 2017. "In the universities, we have the obligation of constructing a better citizenship and propitiate fruitful dialogues –formal or informal—among cultural groups", sustained Dr. Luis Felipe Guerrero Agripino, while inaugurating the XIV Summit of Rectors Mexico-Cuba, that this year's theme is "The university liaison and its impact on the regional development."

With the presence of rectors and functionaries of 14 Cuban universities and heads and representatives of 21 Higher Education Institutions (IES) of Mexico, this February 13, 14 there will be the biannual encounter at the University of Guanajuato (UG).

The event is developed in collaboration with the Department of Public Education (SEP), the National Association of Universities and Higher Education Institutions (ANUIES), the Ministry of Higher Education of Cuba and the Embassy of Cuba in Mexico.

At the opening ceremony, UG's General Rector, Dr. Luis Felipe Guerrero Agripino, said that this is an appropriate encounter for dialogue, debate and dissertation; to create strategic academic alliances that allow to strength the university doing and contribute to the construction of a better ambience.

As so among people, between nations there must also be mutual recognition of capabilities and diversity, within respect, he sustained and added: "Living correctly is coexisting with the different. Today, from this space of freedom and conflux, we embrace Cuba, with its talent, its culture, its race which is ours, with its greatness."

He also considered that it is the time to recognize that what is done at the universities is relevant: "we generate knowledge, create frontier theoretical frameworks, practices and solve problems, we also generate public policies and propose the schemes for its application", besides constructing a better citizenship and propitiate dialogue.

On his part, ANUIES' Executive Secretary, M. Jaime Valls Esponda, pointed out that the Summit of Rectors is a space for analysis and exchange of opinions to make higher education the right leverage for the development of the nations.

He affirmed that higher education in Mexico, is immerse in an intense agenda of internationalization that allows it to be more competitive and universal.

He highlighted that the challenges are global and shared and contribute to encouraging the transformation of our nations in a society of knowledge and, said that the relation between countries is going through an excellent stage to strengthen the binational collaboration.

Dr. Arturo Lara López, Secretary of Innovation, Science and Higher Education, representing the state governor, Lic. Miguel Márquez-Márquez, pointed out that in the state, more than 162,000 students are in higher level, which represents a coverage of the 27.2%. Hence, he recognized there are numerous things to do in this area and celebrated this kind of events that gives Mexico and Cuba an opportunity to learn and work together.

The Rector of the Universidad de Oriente, Dr. Martha del Carmen Meza Valenciano, pointed out that reaching the 14th edition of the event is important because it reveals that both parts have been constant and reaffirms the interest for exchanging ideas, experiences and that the universities contribute to the territorial development.

At the inauguration was also present, Dr. José Gerardo Tinoco Ruiz, Rector of the Universidad Abierta y a Distancia de México, who attended representing Dr. Salvador Jara Guerrero, Sub-secretary of Higher Education of SEP; Municipal President of Guanajuato, Lic. Édgar Castro Cerrillo; as well as unipersonal authorities from UG and representatives of the diverse participant institutions.