Dr. Fernando León García, President of CETYS University, hosted a successful inaugural Town Hall, attended by special guests, local government representatives, CETYS executives, IENAC board members, academics, business leaders, and philanthropists from both sides of the border.
The event took place at UC San Diego Park & Market in downtown San Diego, California, where CETYS presented its vision as a strategic partner for the growth and development of the Cali-Baja megaregion.
During his address, Dr. León highlighted CETYS University’s role in fostering highly skilled human capital, advancing applied research, and building strong ties with key industries in Mexico and the United States. He also underscored the institution’s ongoing commitment to cultural exchange and its humanistic vision as a means to strengthen cross-border understanding and collaboration.
Dr. León emphasized that CETYS University, accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)—the same agency that accredits UC San Diego and the University of San Diego—remains the only Mexican institution with this distinction. This recognition reaffirms CETYS’s leadership and the international quality of its academic programs and graduates.
Richard Kiy, President and CEO of the Institute of the Americas at USD, noted:
“I’m here to support CETYS University, which has served the Calibaja region for the past 60 years. It’s one of Mexico’s leading private universities, providing undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education opportunities to students and professionals across the region. Baja California’s key industries are vital to the prosperity of our binational region—from San Diego to El Centro, California—and CETYS plays a central role in promoting its economic vitality.”
Suzanne Walsh, President of City University of Seattle, added:
“This is a great opportunity. Our 20-year partnership with CETYS through the Mexico-U.S. Dual Degree program is a milestone worth celebrating. We’re now exploring ways to expand this collaboration beyond San Diego to the Pacific Northwest. It’s an exciting moment to discover how we can better serve the needs of our shared region.”
With more than 43,000 alumni, an employability rate above 90%, and a globally engaged academic community, CETYS University continues to strengthen its multi-experiential, humanistic, and flexible educational model—focused on developing leaders capable of generating meaningful, sustainable impact.
The CETYS Town Hall 2025 provided a valuable opportunity to reinforce ties with alumni and strategic partners in Southern California while promoting collaboration on initiatives that advance education, innovation, and social well-being across the world’s most dynamic border region.
