On behalf of the Consortium for North American Higher Education Collaboration (CONAHEC), we are thrilled to be able to hold our XXI North American Higher Education Conference in person in collaboration with our longtime friends at the Mexican Association for International Education (AMPEI). This event, in Mexico's Magical Township of San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, will convene higher education leaders, international education practitioners, business sector, government and funding agency representatives, all of whom share a passion for providing international higher education opportunities and seeking mutually beneficial collaborations. The challenges of our times require our continued collective resolve and work to find ways for higher education opportunities to continue to provide the means for the improvement of our societies. International engagement in higher education is critical to generating spaces for mutual understanding, inquiry and knowledge generation and dissemination, and preparing future generations of leaders and citizens able to work productively on shared solutions to common problems. As a region, North America continues to create and occupy a privileged space where needs can be met, conflicts can be resolved and leadership can be reasserted to ensure enduring progress towards higher education systems and opportunities that strengthen social fabric and bring peace and prosperity to our region and the world. Our partners around the world share our values, and form part of our extended family of kindred spirits who view international engagement through higher education as a means to achieve these things together. I urge you to join us in this magical place for what promises to be a rebirth of our international education community to share successes, discuss challenges, and set a path towards solutions that we can work together to find. This investment of your time and resources will bring multiple new connections, ideas and opportunities worth many times the cost and effort. I look forward to welcoming you and working with you to find ways we can support our shared internationalization goals. See you in San Cristobal de las Casas!
Sean Manley-Casimir Executive Director Consortium for North American Higher Education Collaboration (CONAHEC)