Reforming higher agricultural education institutions: the case of the School of Agriculture at Monterrey Tech (ITESM)

Over the past two decades, the School of Agriculture at the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) in Mexico has undergone substantial change. This study describes a broad reform process undertaken to face challenges such as technological change, environmental degradation, and the growing demand for new skills in agriculture related sectors. ITESM has been in existence since 1948. After a long period of growth, it was hit by the decreasing role of the agricultural sector in the national economy. The enrolment of students declined significantly, due to economic and labour market transformation. In this changing context, the School of Agriculture conducted a major reform, covering institutional, academic and strategic issues. This book draws lessons from this experience, with the aim of making a contribution towards the reform process of higher agricultural education in Mexico and elsewhere.