Anáhuac LABS inaugurates a new vision of engineering: technology with a human touch

Anáhuac Mexico University inaugurated Anáhuac LABS, a cluster of laboratories designed to strengthen the integral training of engineers through technology, innovation, human values and their connection to industry, all in service to society.

After the groundbreaking ceremony held on March 20, 2024, Anáhuac Mexico University officially opened Anáhuac LABS on August 25, 2026. This new technological innovation cluster aims to transform the learning experience for engineering students and strengthen the connection between academia and businesses in order to address current technological challenges.

An educational promise that transcends

During the inauguration of the new building, located on our university’s North Campus, Dr. Cipriano Sánchez García, L.C., the rector of Anáhuac Mexico University, stated that the launch of Anáhuac LABS represented a new piece of academic infrastructure and a pedagogical promise.

“These laboratories are not just a collection of equipment. More importantly, they represent an educational promise that can be understood as an ecosystem with three interconnected missions: educating our students, connecting them with industry and promoting our own research to generate new knowledge.”

He noted that, from a pedagogical perspective, the new space integrates “39 strategic hubs ranging from artificial intelligence and data science to clean energy, digital ethics and the sustainability of complex thinking.”

Rather than representing merely a new academic facility, “Anáhuac LABS is a platform that takes student education beyond the classroom, exposing students to the technologies and challenges that are transforming the industry,” he explained during his opening address.

Alfonso Salem Slim (Civil Engineering, Class of '84), president of Inmobiliaria Carso, began with an emotional message of recognition and gratitude to Alfredo “Tito” Elías Ayub, who was the project’s main driving force until his passing.

In the presence of Elías Ayub’s wife and children, Salem Slim honored him for inspiring many leaders to promote the construction of Anáhuac LABS because training new engineers with a vision for the future is urgent.

“I have met few people as clear-thinking and intelligent as he was, with such a strong capacity for analysis and such a special commitment to his alma mater. He was extremely enthusiastic about this project, which aims to make our university one of the most highly regarded institutions, both nationally and internationally,” said Salem Slim.

He emphasized that “the heart of this project is its ability to integrate hands-on learning and applied research in entrepreneurship and technology transfer.”

The consolidation of technology with a human touch

Fr. Albero José Simán Dada, L.C., president of the board of Directors of Anáhuac Mexico University, said that the inauguration of the new building represents an “extraordinary effort” to integrate infrastructure, research and laboratories with the various fields of engineering represented by our students.

He pointed out that Anáhuac LABS will be a space for knowledge and service, but also “a vital space for educating men and women of integrity who, drawing on their faith and their deepest Christian and human values, are called to address the most pressing problems facing modern humanity and our Mexican and global society.”

What will Anáhuac LABS offer students?

With its launch, Anáhuac LABS aims to provide students with access to cutting-edge technology and spaces for experimentation where they can observe, understand and work with tools and systems related to fields such as mobility, energy, manufacturing and artificial intelligence.

The goal is to transform the questions and doubts that arise during academic training to be transformed into projects, research and solutions to real-world problems. In this way, laboratories become meaningful when used by students and professors to transform knowledge into concrete learning experiences.

The project’s vision also calls for a closer relationship with businesses. Anáhuac LABS is designed to facilitate engagement between the production sector and the university, enabling them to identify problems, develop projects, generate knowledge and seek solutions applicable to the real world.

A training ground for outstanding engineers

In her remarks, Dr. Romina Contreras Carrasco (Ph.D. in Public Administration, class of '21), the mayor of Huixquilucan, predicted that the new complex would establish itself as “a source of highly qualified, groundbreaking engineers who will be the driving force behind technological development” in the country.

As a graduate of Anáhuac Mexico, the mayor said she is proud of her alma mater and added that this project will ensure the university “continues to stand out for its excellence and, above all, for shaping great human beings.”

A space to promote Engineering 5.0

The launch of Anáhuac LABS is part of a vision for technological education in which engineers must not only master new tools, but also understand the reasons behind technological development, its beneficiaries and the impact of their professional decisions.

The project aims to train professionals who can understand and develop the technologies that are transforming these sectors, while maintaining a perspective centered on people and the needs of society.
 

Innovation and technology with a human touch

Anáhuac LABS also represents a new way of understanding engineering: a space where technology, research and talent come together to develop solutions with a human touch.

Through its laboratories in Advanced Materials, Mobile Robots and Chemical Engineering, students and researchers transform knowledge into innovation, develop high-impact projects and generate solutions to the challenges facing industry and society.

This approach fosters the development of unique, innovative, and ethical engineers who are capable of transforming their environment and building the future of Mexico and the world.

How will Anáhuac LABS establish links with industry?

Anáhuac LABS’ vision also proposes that students be able to address the needs of companies and participate in projects with sustainable goals. The project has been designed to be a working platform where young engineering students can discover new technological elements and develop skills related to the challenges facing industry.

One of the first examples of this strategy is the partnership between Ford Motor Mexico and Anáhuac Mexico University. In the lead-up to the inauguration, on August 13, Juan Manuel Santillán (Mechanical Engineering, Class of '99), director of Product Development at Ford de México and an Anáhuac graduate, presented a Ford Maverick Hybrid to be incorporated into Anáhuac LABS.

The inauguration of Anáhuac LABS marks the beginning of a new era

Through Anáhuac LABS, the university aims to transform its laboratories into vibrant learning spaces: places where students can experiment, professors can convert technology into research opportunities and companies can find shared ground to tackle problems and develop solutions.

Thus, the new building adds more than just infrastructure to the North Campus: it represents a commitment to training engineers capable of understanding, developing and using technology to serve people.

The inauguration committee for Anáhuac LABS consisted of Fr. Albero José Simán Dada, L.C., chairman of the Board of Directors of Anáhuac Mexico University; Dr. Cipriano Sánchez García, L.C., rector of Anáhuac Mexico University, Mexico; Dr. Romina Contreras Carrasco, mayor of Huixquilucan; and Dr. Marco Antonio Paz, director of the School of Engineering at Anáhuac Mexico University.

Special guests included Alfonso Salem Slim, president of Inmobiliaria Carso; Dr. Marco Antonio Moreno Ibarra, General Director of Development, Technology Transfer and Innovation, representing Dr. Rosaura Ruiz Gutiérrez, head of the Ministry of Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation (Secihti), on behalf of the minister, Dr. Rosaura Ruiz Gutiérrez.

Also in attendance were Dr. Margarita Rocío Serrano Barrios, deputy minister of Higher Education and Teacher Training for the State of Mexico, representing the governor, Delfina Gómez Álvarez, as well as María Araceli De Haas Matamoros, general director in the Minister’s office, representing Minister of the Economy Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón; and Senator Enrique Vargas del Villar.

Other attendees included authorities, business leaders, representatives of chambers of commerce and business organizations, academics, researchers, alumni, students and partners such as Siemens, Ford, Festo, Huawei and Google.