Illinois Universities Expand Latin American Partnerships Through IIN Mission

In May 2026, the Illinois Innovation Network advanced its commitment to international academic engagement with a two-week university tour across Latin America led by Mario Hayek, Dean of the School of Business at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE).

The mission spanned five cities across four countries — Lima, Peru; Quito and Guayaquil, Ecuador; Córdoba, Argentina; and Ciudad del Este, Paraguay — with visits to seven universities, including Universidad Nacional del Este and Universidad Internacional Tres Fronteras in Paraguay, institutions uniquely positioned at the convergence of Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina.

The tour built on relationships established at the Americas Competitiveness Exchange (ACE) Chicago event in 2025 and introduced IIN’s model of collaborative research, innovation, and regional economic development to university leaders throughout the region. Nearly 20 percent of Illinois’ population has ties to Latin America, and the state’s four major international airports provide direct connectivity to the region — making Illinois a natural partner for Latin American institutions seeking U.S. academic alliances.

Conversations across all seven institutions centered on shared graduate programs, student and faculty mobility, joint research, and the possibility of formal engagement with the IIN’s statewide network of 15 hubs. For Illinois universities, the tour surfaced a significant pipeline of partnership opportunities across a region where demand for internationally recognized credentials and collaborative research is growing rapidly.

IIN Executive Director Jeannette Tamayo, whose own roots in Latin America inform the IIN’s engagement in the region, has called for a formalized structure to sustain and expand this momentum. The next step will be identifying which opportunities across the seven institutions best align with IIN priorities and connecting them with the right Illinois university partners.

The Illinois Innovation Network's 15 hubs include all 12 Illinois public universities and collaborate to advance research, innovation, and regional economic development across the state.