Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico, February 20, 2026 – Consolidating a common front against the challenges of the global labor market, leading rectors and directors of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and industry leaders from the region convened yesterday, February 19, at 8:30 a.m. in the Calmécac Room of the rectory building of the Autonomous University of Ciudad Juárez (UACJ).
CONREDES Presents 2025 Report and 2026 Roadmap
The meeting, convened by the Regional Council for the Development of Education and Sustainability (CONREDES), served as a platform to present a detailed report of activities and strengthen strategic collaboration in human capital development. The agenda focused on aligning academic offerings with the technological demands of the industrial sector in the border region.
Innovation and Digital Monitoring: The New CONREDES Platform
A central point of the meeting was the presentation of the new CONREDES evaluation platform. This digital tool aims to facilitate data-driven decision-making, allowing educational institutions and companies to monitor the progress of graduates and adjust curricula according to the real requirements of the productive sector.
Key Participants in the Strategic Alliance
The event saw the participation of prominent figures from both academia and industry, including:
- Licenciado Pablo Cuarón Galindo, President of Grupo Hágalo.
- Maestra Raquel Borjón, Director of Talento Juárez.
- Doctor Daniel Alberto Constandse Cortez, Rector of the Autonomous University of Ciudad Juárez (UACJ).
- Ingeniero Guillermo Gallegos Rodríguez, President of the Regional Council for the Development of Education and Sustainability (CONREDES) and Plant Manager at XEROX Lexmark.
- Doctor Óscar Fidencio Ibáñez Hernández, Rector of the Technological University of Ciudad Juárez (UTCJ).
- Doctor Francisco Javier Llera Pacheco, Rector of the Technological University Paso del Norte (UTPN).
- Maestro Mario Macario Ruiz Grijalva, Director of the National Technological Institute of Mexico, Ciudad Juárez campus (TECNM).
- Maestra Judith Marcela Soto Moreno, Director of the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, Ciudad Juárez campus (ITESM).
- Doctora Erika Don Juan Callejo, Director of TEC Milenio Juárez.
- Maestra Dulce María Villarreal Rodríguez, Director of the Regional Council for the Development of Education and Sustainability (CONREDES).
- Maestro Hugo García Vargas, Academic Secretary of the Technological University of Ciudad Juárez (UTCJ).
- Maestra Kathya Sánchez Pérez, General Director of Linkage, Exchange and Social Responsibility.
- Maestra Norma Josefina Márquez Tarango, of Linkage of the National Technological Institute of Mexico, Jiménez campus (TECNM).
- Maestra Aldanelli Barrios Ponce, of Linkage of the Technological University Paso del Norte (UTPN).
- Maestra Mara Denisse Salcido Celada, Academic Subdirector of the National Technological Institute of Mexico, Ciudad Juárez campus. (TECNM).
- Maestro José Guadalupe Maldonado Carrera, Academic Head of the National Technological Institute of Mexico, Jiménez campus (TECNM).
- Ingeniero Rafael Rucobo, Humantek company.
- Edgar Arturo Torres, Humantek company.
Committees in Motion for 2026
The work agenda not only looked to the past; priorities for the “En puerta 2026” cycle were established. The council’s operations will continue to be supported by its four fundamental pillars: Professional Practices, Curricular Development, Industrial Visits, and the strengthening of Basic, Middle, and Higher Education.
The day also included a strategic dialogue space where attendees -including representatives from the Technological University of Ciudad Juárez (UTCJ), Technological University Paso del Norte (UTPN), National Technological Institute of Mexico (TecNM/ITCJ), Ciudad Juárez campus, and Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM)- discussed proposals to ensure that the Juárez region remains a benchmark for competitiveness and economic development through its student population.
Bridging the Gap Between Classroom and Factory
Since its creation in 2013, CONREDES has worked on the premise of reducing the gap between academia and the labor sector. During the day, it was highlighted that this work became more relevant after a market study conducted by Manpower Group, which revealed the urgent need to train graduates with skills tuned to the latest technological advances.
“We aspire to develop the talent our border region deserves,” was emphasized during the session, recalling that the council’s transition to Economic Development of Ciudad Juárez, A.C. since 2022, has boosted the scope of its projects.
An example of this was the 740 students from various university communities who participated in the CONREDES 2025 Forum “Connect with your future,” which took place at the Multifunctional Auditorium of the National Technological Institute of Mexico (TecNM/ITCJ), Ciudad Juárez campus, on October 28, 2025.
In addition to HEIs, CONREDES is made up of local industrial and commercial sector companies, including: Xerox; Lexmark; Commscope; Lear; Novamex; Lippert; Robert Bosch; Johnson & Johnson; Aptiv; Foxconn; GE Healthcare; Harman; BRP; Hágalo; Swem; Microsoft; Aspen Capital; Almacenes Distribuidores de la Frontera; IPE; Economic Development of Ciudad Juárez; Labor Competitiveness and Frente Norte.
