In her ongoing effort to raise the University's international profile, President Nan Keohane spent last week recruiting students and exploring business alliances in Mexico City and Panama City.
Most notably, Keohane met with Panamanian President Ernesto Peres Balladres, a graduate of the University of Notre Dame who hopes to leave his country a legacy of educational reforms. During their meeting, the two discussed possibly collaborating on a higher education initiative and a program to promote computer literacy in primary schools.
Keohane also gave interviews with several prominent newspapers, spoke before each city's American Chamber of Commerce and met with representatives from area colleges and feeder high schools.
Finally, she hosted two alumni events, one of which drew 125 alumni, parents and friends to the historic Chapultepec Castle overlooking Mexico City. The other event drew 60 supporters to the Panama Canal.
The week complemented Keohane's 12-day trip through Asia last summer, which was also aimed at promoting Duke to new audiences.
A return trip to Asia is tentatively planned for spring 2000.
Next on the president's list of international trips is a fall 1999 visit to Canada, which already boasts about 800 friends of the University.
Keohane, who was not available for comment, also intends to return to Latin America within the next few years. Robert Booth, assistant to the president for international development, said Keohane recognizes Latin America's strategic importance to American universities.
Associate Professor of Public Policy Fritz Mayer, who accompanied Keohane on the trip, stressed the importance of a healthy relationship between Duke and Latin America.
"As Duke seeks to become a more internationally prominent university, it makes great sense to focus on Mexico in particular and Latin America more generally," said Mayer, who added that schools such as the University of Texas are better known in Mexico.
"Mexico is in some ways the most important foreign country for the U.S," he said. "It's our second largest trading partner now, we share a border and many common problems, and the relationship is only going to become more important."
Mayer directs the Center for North American Studies, which is the only such program to be funded by the Department of Education.
Currently, the University has nine undergraduate Panamanians and 24 Mexican students, five of whom are undergraduates, said Booth, who also accompanied the president. An admissions officer added that applications from Mexico have increased substantially during the past few years.
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