Introduction

With the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and its Training, Internships, Exchanges, and Scholarships (TIES) initiative, San Diego State University and the Autonomous University of Baja California partnered to develop a Joint Master in Interdisciplinary Studies with emphasis on Transborder Public Administration and Governance. This innovative program serves to train the next generation of local, state, and federal public administration leaders on both sides of the U.S.- Mexican border region. It is a binational, executive program that will enhance the delivery of services to border community residents and improve transborder cooperation at the community level. Also, U.S. and Mexican local governments will be able to more effectively address transborder problems, take advantage of regional opportunities, and collaborate in areas such as harmonized data generation, geographic information systems, and regional planning.

This master's program incorporates scholarly and applied coursework and involves agencies and officials from both Mexico and the United States. The program is designed for government, private, and not-for-profit sector professionals who wish to learn about the governing and administrative systems on the other side of the border. Each cohort of students works closely with faculty and interacts with officials and agencies on both sides of the border. Graduates will understand transborder cooperation and governance, the structure and function of public administration and governance in California and Baja California, and how the two systems interact.

In addition to the California-Baja California border region, this model of graduate training for working professionals is suitable for implementation in other U.S.-Mexican border regions.