The Anáhuac Mexico University (member of the RIU) presented Anáhuac LABS, a cluster of laboratories to train world-class engineers for human and social development

On March 1st, the Anáhuac Mexico University, which is part of the International Network of Universities of the Regnum Christi (RIU), with the support of Grupo IUSA, presented Anáhuac LABS, a cluster of laboratories to train world-class engineers capable of decisively facing the major challenges that must be addressed today for the future in engineering.  Technological challenges such as artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, data science, mobility in large cities, unmanned aerial vehicles, water logistics, waste management, non-polluting biofuels, or technological gamification, to mention a few.

The presentation of Anáhuac LABS was led by Fr. Cipriano Sánchez García, LC, rector of the university; engineer Carlos Peralta, president and CEO of Grupo IUSA; and Mr. Mario Buenrostro Perdomo, director of the Faculty of Engineering. The latter stated that this project is an invitation to create what Mexico and the world need, and one of its lines will be to ensure that technology serves people and not the other way around. He also highlighted the quality of the students of the Faculty of Engineering, who stand out for their academic excellence by publishing articles in indexed journals, working in Formula 1, or conducting top-level research in Mexico and abroad.

Father Cipriano Sánchez García, LC., rector of Anáhuac (Mexico)

For his part, engineer Carlos Peralta recalled that this initiative is the result of the conviction that “there is no better investment than betting on research and technological development that translates into innovation and improvement for the productive and social sectors”. He also acknowledged that few things are as satisfying and stimulating as contributing to the generation of tools and means for young people to enrich their academic training, and made a call to industry to join Anáhuac LABS.

We want to take this event as an opportunity to extend a formal invitation for many other companies to join this project with their needs and requirements, working hand in hand to find solutions: Engineer Carlos Peralta

For his part, Fr. Cipriano made it clear that “Anáhuac LABS is a project to which we all must contribute and be protagonists in creating solutions for Mexico and the world’s needs, because this project and the efforts for it are for engineering students, as well as for Mexico”.

During the presentation, prominent entrepreneurs such as Ricardo Salinas Pliego, president of Grupo Salinas; representatives of national, regional, and sectoral industry chambers and associations; as well as representatives of embassies from various countries in Mexico attended.  

What is ANÁHUAC LABS?

Presentation of the building where future engineers will be trained

ANÁHUAC LABS is a cutting-edge building with an investment of 350 million pesos, integrating 10 laboratories over 6,350 m2 to train engineers in Mexico who will assume leadership in solving present and future problems. 

The university is launching this project hand in hand with Grupo IUSA, founded by Don Alejo Peralta and Díaz Ceballos, who also served as director general of the Polytechnic Institute of Mexico (IPN). With ANÁHUAC LABS, Grupo IUSA once again gives a significant boost to engineering in Mexico under the leadership of engineer Carlos Peralta, with whom our institution has maintained many years of friendship and collaboration, promoting various infrastructure projects over the past decades. 

It is worth noting that, in addition to Grupo IUSA, leading global companies will also participate in equipping the 10 laboratories that the project will feature. 

Launch of the “ANÁHUAC LABS” project

ANÁHUAC LABS will feature spaces that promote collaborative work for experts and researchers serving the country. For its development, it has taken as reference the tech clusters of leading universities worldwide such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), as well as universities like Stanford, Oxford, and the National University of Singapore, analyzing their structure, relationships with regional companies, how students gain practical experience, the type of academic and research staff they have, among other aspects. 

It has a design that favors interrelation among various engineering specialties, interdisciplinarity, and, a fundamental aspect, collaboration with other leading universities in technological development that are closely linked to regional companies, as well as global companies with the greatest impact on the economy, all aligned with the major themes prioritized by the World Economic Forum such as data science and simulation, information technology, environment and sustainability, mechatronics, advanced manufacturing, among others.

According to the 2022 talent shortage study conducted by ManpowerGroup, 65% of companies have difficulty finding qualified talent, with the technology industry increasing by 68%, and 66% in manufacturing. Therefore, ANÁHUAC LABS is our university’s response to overcome the significant deficit demanded by industry in Mexico, uniting efforts with the best companies, government agencies, and higher education institutions worldwide. 

Mexican universities have entry-level laboratories, dedicated exclusively to certain disciplines. However, Anáhuac LABS will enable laboratories to interconnect, providing collaborative spaces for students, academics, and researchers to meet the challenges of participating companies, which range from the design of the laboratories themselves to complex industry solutions. 

At Anáhuac LABS, companies will be part of the talent development ecosystem, key to addressing the needs of companies and industries that require competing or integrating into complex global processes that influence the global economy. Construction of ANÁHUAC LABS will begin in 2023, and it is expected to be operational for Mexico by 2025.