Mexico Launches Diaspora Program to Link Foreign Scientists

Mexico has launched the "Cátedras de la Diáspora Mexicana" program to connect scientists and researchers working abroad with national institutions ^[1].

The initiative seeks to combat brain drain by integrating the expertise and international networks of Mexican academics into the country's domestic scientific infrastructure. By creating formal ties between the diaspora and home institutions, the government aims to accelerate innovation and academic collaboration.

President Claudia Sheinbaum and Rosaura Ruiz Gutiérrez, secretary of Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation, presented the program on April 25, 2026 ^[2]. The program is designed to leverage the knowledge and experience of researchers who have established careers in other countries.

"The objective of the program is to link academics abroad," Sheinbaum said ^[3].

To facilitate this collaboration, the government is providing financial incentives to the participating researchers. Ruiz Gutiérrez said that up to 45,000 pesos will be granted per researcher to support their work and potential visits to Mexico ^[4].

Ruiz Gutiérrez said the institutional program was created to strengthen the science of the country ^[5]. The initiative focuses on creating a sustainable bridge for knowledge transfer, allowing researchers to maintain their international positions while contributing to Mexican development.

The program is administered through the Secretariat of Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation, which serves as the primary hub for coordinating these academic exchanges.