3 key factors that have made the Tec de Monterrey a world-class act

 The Tec de Monterrey has continued to solidify its international rank, which has shown significant improvement.

In the QS World University Rankings 2020, Tec de Monterrey climbed 20 places as compared with the previous year, and is recognized as the number 1 private university in Mexico and number 158 in the world.

Moreover, in its new Latin American ranking, Times Higher Education (THE) has once again placed the Tec, for the third year running, as the best university in Mexico and the fifth best in the region. 

CONECTA presents four key aspects that have led to the Tec's success in these rankings:

1. RESEARCH, SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

Among the criteria under consideration, both rankings include scientific contributions made by universities that encourage social development.

For a decade, the Tec de Monterrey has placed great importance on research as an integral part of its vision of institutional improvement. The results of this include:

• An increase in the number of research professors. The Tec currently has  570 research professors registered in the National Research System (SNI for its initials in Spanish) in Mexico, 124% more than 10 years ago. SNI membership ensures the quality and innovative nature of research.
• There are currently 7,000 students, at graduate and postgraduate levels, doing research.
• The research professor model has been created where staff members dedicate half of their time to research. 
• These strategies have brought about an increase in the number of scientific publications and, consequently, in the number of citations.
• Collaborations and partnerships have been set up with other top universities in the world, which encourages joint projects. One example of this is the partnerships the Tec enjoys with MIT, number 1 in the world according to the QS University Rankings, in the area of nanoscience and nanotechnology.

"These results are evidence that the Tec de Monterrey is evolving, that it is a leading university not just in education, but also in research," Arturo Molina, Vice-Rector of Technology Transfer and Research at the Tec, told CONECTA.

2. ACADEMIC REPUTATION

In the QS ranking, academic reputation is measured using a global survey of academics, in which they are asked to identify the higher education institutions that do an outstanding job.

• Here, the Tec improved 20 places from 246th to 226th in the world. 
• The TEC21 Educational Model, which consists of structurally-flexible, challenge-based learning that combines academic experience with a memorable university experience has managed to attract the attention of other top universities.
• The Tec has also set in motion an academic positioning strategy according to study areas. Some of these results were spotlighted in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2019. 

"We have had the opportunity to participate in meetings organized by the WUN (Worldwide University Network), APRU (Association of Pacific Rim Universities) and Universitas 21, which represent 60 or 70 universities that are specifically familiar with the TEC21 Model. This has earned us our ranking," noted Neil Hernández, Tec Research Director.

3. EMPLOYER REPUTATION

Another aspect measured by the QS ranking is the opinion of employers in the world; in other words, the universities that produce the finest graduates for the labor market are identified.

• The Tec works constantly to improve its record of successful graduate placement in companies through different incubation centers and the job center.
• Tec departments like EXATEC, the Life and Career Center, Talent and Culture, and Communications collaborated on projects aimed at attracting employers.

"The world regions we wanted to impact were identified, we drew up a positioning strategy in digital media like LinkedIn and designed a website containing information for employers," explained Nathalíe Galeano, Tec Ranking Intelligence Director.

"We reach over half a million people in countries like the United States, Canada, Germany, France, and Spain. We emphasize to employers that our graduates are committed to innovation, development, excellence and that they possess human values," added Aída Madrigal, the Tec's Employer Branding leader.

According to the Tec's Research Director, the fact that Mexico's universities are ranked among the best in the world has a positive impact.

"Socially speaking, we are generating extremely high-quality graduates, which makes the social movement of students and alumni possible; economically speaking, it enables us to attract companies only interested in top universities," concluded Hernández.

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