Last year, Ariadna Reyes-Sánchez, an assistant professor in The University of Texas at Arlington's Department of Public Affairs and Planning and a research fellow at the Center for Mexican American Studies, launched an urban planning course for UTA and Mexican postgraduate students.
"Sustainable Planning in the U.S. and Mexico: Housing, Transportation and Climate Justice Perspectives" is taught by Dr. Reyes-Sanchez in partnership with The Center for Research in Geography and Geomatics (CentroGeo), a public research center in Mexico City that focuses on research, education and technological innovation. The online course is designed to create avenues for future city planners in the U.S. to engage with their Mexican counterparts to explore the unique challenges and opportunities presented in both countries and exchange ideas and practices.
"This course is a unique opportunity for students to engage in cross-border collaboration and gain a deeper understanding of sustainable planning from diverse cultural and geographic perspectives," Reyes-Sánchez said. "By working together, we can develop innovative solutions that address housing, transportation and climate justice challenges in both the U.S. and Mexico."
For Luis Macias Barrientos, an urban planning and public policy doctoral student at UTA, the class offers valuable insights into international urban planning strategies and methodologies."My favorite part of the course was the exchange of ideas between UTA and CentroGeo students," Barrientos said. "I can take ideas from another country and apply them to my work here."
Barrientos found the class especially engaging when Jorge Montejano of CentroGeo presented the institution's proposed development plan for Mexico City for the coming decades.
"As someone who has studied American cities, I was fascinated to see how people are reimagining cities in countries like Mexico, especially from those working on such projects," Barrientos said.
The course was made possible by a Texas International Education Fund grant, which Reyes-Sánchez and her colleagues secured through the Texas International Education Consortium in 2023.
David Coursey, associate professor and chair of the Public Affairs and Planning Department at UTA, commended the course for its innovative approach.
"This effort is groundbreaking, leveraging new federal online education regulations for international students, with enormous potential for expanding UTA's global influence and our local students' international understanding," Dr. Coursey said.
