During a Nov. 30 ceremony at its campus in Jersey City, New Jersey City University (NJCU) signed a historic memorandum of understanding with GLACO – or Grupo Latinoamericano de Consules en New Jersey – an alliance of 17 Latin American consulates that aims to collaborate when offering consular services as well as on migratory, educational and health issues.

By signing the MOU, NJCU becomes the first higher education institution in the Garden State to enter a formal collaboration with GLACO, contributing to the recognition of the Latino community in New Jersey while establishing dialogues with local institutions and government agencies.

The agreement is being facilitated by the university’s Guarini Institute for International Education and Economic Mobility. Officials say it will allow them to explore ways for NJCU to collaborate with the consulates. The work aims to initiate higher education programs and services designed for and promoted to the Latin American and Latino community here in New Jersey to advance their educational attainment and career development.

The MOU was signed by NJCU interim President Andres Acebo, currently the only Latino to lead a college or university in the state,  and Roberto Ariel Valles Montes, consul general of El Salvador in New Jersey and president of GLACO.

“With the signing of this memorandum of understanding, our university strengthens its commitment to serving the most socioeconomically diverse student population in the state,” said Acebo. “NJCU has played a critical role in our community for generations and today’s MOU is yet another investment in those who depend on this institution.”

“By signing this memorandum of understanding we are taking concrete action on our commitment to address the challenges that communities of Latin America countries face in a similar way, which, because of their complexity, demand immediate attention and encourage the development of shared strategies for the achievement of common solutions within the framework of respect for human rights and international cooperation, based on dialogue, mutual understanding, shared responsibility and reciprocity,” the GLACO president said.

The MOU marks a major next step for NJCU – as it looks to turn the page on a budget deficit that NJBIZ has reported extensively about amid its continued growth and evolution. Officials say the agreement will only strengthen the school’s rich relationship with the Latin American and Latino community in New Jersey.

“It provides our university with a framework to better coordinate initiatives with 17 countries to advance the educational priorities and economic mobility of the Latin American and Latino families we serve,” said Adrian Franco, the executive director of the Guarini Institute at NJCU. “The agreement represents a clear continuation of the successful projects that the Guarini Institute has facilitated on behalf of NJCU with international partners.”

“As an anchor institution for Hudson County and the region, our mission-driven work goes far beyond the classroom and is essential to the Jersey City and Hudson County communities, and we will continue focusing on being mission-driven to bettering the lives of and providing educational access to our underserved communities,” Acebo added. “So many members of our community are from nations within the GLACO footprint, and I am excited about the outcomes this MOU will bolster.”