MIT President L. Rafael Reif recently joined Raúl Rodríguez, associate vice president of internationalization at Tecnológico de Monterrey, for a wide-ranging fireside chat about the power of education and its impact in addressing global issues, even more so in a post pandemic world. 

“When I was younger, my parents used to always tell me and my brothers that we had to have an education because your education is the only thing you can bring with you, if you have to leave in a hurry,” recalled Reif, who was visiting with students and researchers on the Monterrey Tec campus at the invitation of José Antonio Fernández, chair of the board at the Tec and a member of the MIT Corporation.

Reif recounted his own experiences both academic and personal and shared his hope for a better future, emphasizing the role students will play in shaping it. 

“Many think that the purpose of university is to educate and advance knowledge — education and research — and that it should stop there… but students want to do something good. They want to make an impact and help,” said Reif. “So, I think that the purpose of university is not only to educate and advance knowledge, but to help students use that knowledge to solve problems — problems facing their cities, their states, their country, their world.”

Conecta, a news site of Monterrey Tec, has additional coverage and photos from the MIT president’s visit. 

Video by: Monterrey Tec | 52 min, 46 sec