The teaching of international trade in mexican universities: challenges, practices and perspectives for global training
Abstract
Introduction: International trade is a structural component of the Mexican economy and a strategic professional field for organizations participating in global markets. Mexico's increasing productive integration with North America, market diversification, the digital transformation of business operations, and the reorganization of global value chains have increased the need for professionals capable of understanding and managing import, export, logistics, international negotiation, customs regulations, and business strategy processes. In this context, universities play a significant role in developing human capital with technical, analytical, digital, and intercultural skills. Objective: To critically analyze how international trade is currently taught in Mexican universities, identifying strengths, limitations, and opportunities for innovation. Materials and Methods: A qualitative and analytical documentary research study was conducted by reviewing curricula from public and private institutions, documents from the Ministry of Public Education (SEP), information from the National Association of Universities and Institutions of Higher Education (ANUIES), and national and international academic literature. Results: Mexico has programs that incorporate foreign trade, international business, customs law, logistics, economics, negotiation, languages, and information technologies; however, significant differences persist among institutions regarding curriculum internationalization, business partnerships, academic mobility, and the use of experiential learning methodologies. Conclusions: It is concluded that the teaching of international trade needs to shift from a predominantly disciplinary model to one that is integrated, practical, digital, intercultural, and oriented toward real-world problems.
References
Álvarez-Salgado, F. Á., Cruz-Doriano, S., Chi-Chan, M. T. de J., & López-Ponce, M. E. (2024). Explorando la excelencia educativa: La interacción de la internacionalización del currículo y la movilidad académica. RIDE. Revista Iberoamericana para la Investigación y el Desarrollo Educativo, 15(29), e774. https://doi.org/10.23913/ride.v15i29.2167
Beelen, J., & Jones, E. (2015). Redefining internationalization at home. En A. Curaj, L. Matei, R. Pricopie, J. Salmi, & P. Scott (Eds.), The European Higher Education Area: Between critical reflections and future policies (pp. 59–72). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20877-0_5
Beneitone, P. (2022). Internacionalización del currículo: Una respuesta democratizadora a las desigualdades resultantes de la movilidad académica elitista. Revista Educación Superior y Sociedad, 34(1), 422–444. https://doi.org/10.54674/ess.v34i1.526
Canto de Loura, I. (2014). Application of the experiential simulation learning approach (ELSA) model to teach sustainability to international business management undergraduate students. Journal of Management Development, 33(6), 620–636. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMD-04-2014-0032
Cuevas Álvarez, M. C., Pérez Mendoza, M., & Arias Moguel, G. U. (2021). Internacionalización del currículum para desarrollar la competencia intercultural en estudiantes de negocios. Investigación & Negocios, 14(23), 196–208. https://doi.org/10.38147/invneg.v14i23.136
Daniels, P. P., & Mukhopadhyay, K. (2005). Experiential learning in international business education. Journal of Teaching in International Business, 16(2), 7–25. https://doi.org/10.1300/J066v16n02_02
De Wit, H., & Altbach, P. G. (2021). Internationalization in higher education: Global trends and recommendations for its future. Policy Reviews in Higher Education, 5(1), 28–46. https://doi.org/10.1080/23322969.2020.1820898
Deardorff, D. K. (2006). Identification and assessment of intercultural competence as a student outcome of internationalization. Journal of Studies in International Education, 10(3), 241–266. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315306287002
González Bello, E. O., & García-Meza, I. M. (2021). Internacionalización del currículo en México desde la innovación de asignaturas en inglés. Actualidades Investigativas en Educación, 21(2), 1–31. https://doi.org/10.15517/aie.v21i2.46781
Knight, J. (2004). Internationalization remodeled: Definition, approaches, and rationales. Journal of Studies in International Education, 8(1), 5–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315303260832
Kolb, A. Y., & Kolb, D. A. (2005). Learning styles and learning spaces: Enhancing experiential learning in higher education. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 4(2), 193–212. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMLE.2005.17268566
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice-Hall. Google Books
Rangel-Lyne, L., Torres-Cruz Amén, R. E., & Infante-Aguillón, M. E. (2022). Explorando los efectos de las competencias específicas adquiridas, en la satisfacción universitaria del licenciado en comercio internacional y aduanas. Ciencias Administrativas. Teoría y Praxis, 18(2), 97–112. https://doi.org/10.46443/catyp.v18i2.315
Ramirez Guillen, E. J., & Durón Bustamante, N. R. (2026). Desigualdad económica y el acceso a la educación: análisis bibliométrico de datos empíricos en Latinoamérica (Centroamérica y Honduras). Región Científica, 5(1), 2026571. https://doi.org/10.58763/rc2026571
Ramón de la Cruz, A., García Álvarez, A. D., & Estrada Calix, H. G. (2024). Transformaciones e impactos de la innovación financiera y el auge de las Fintech en México. Región Científica, 3(2), 2024311. https://doi.org/10.58763/rc2024311
Rangel Ramírez, H. G., & Rangel García, A. E. (2022). Percepciones estudiantiles de un proyecto de internacionalización del currículum virtual entre dos universidades mexicanas. Interconectando Saberes, (14), 97–108. https://doi.org/10.25009/is.v0i14.2735
Rubio Valdez, J. A., Pacheco Hernández, T., & Pacheco Hernández, M. E. (2025). ¿Calidad o cobertura de la educación superior en México? Región Científica, 4(2), 2025509. https://doi.org/10.58763/rc2025509
Santana González, Y., Torres Rodríguez, O., Torres Estrada, N. L., Suárez Masipp, M. C., & Pérez Cardosa, A. (2025). La influencia de la política educativa en la toma de decisiones: implicaciones para la gestión y la formación universitaria en contextos globalizados. Negonotas Docentes, 25, 84-94. https://doi.org/10.52143/2346-1357.1128
Tortolero-Portugal, R., Figueroa-González, E. G., Moreno-Loera, H., & Sotelo-Asef, J. G. (2025). La dirección de las micro y pequeñas empresas en México a partir de la influencia de variables organizacionales. Región Científica, 4(1), 2025444. https://doi.org/10.58763/rc2025444
Valdez García, M., Cuevas de la Garza, J. F., & Soto Becerra, R. (2025). Las competencias en el ámbito del comercio internacional. Un aporte para la actualización de los planes y programas de educación superior. Revista de la Educación Superior, 54(215), 47–70. https://doi.org/10.36857/resu.2025.215.3404
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Maximiliano Martínez Ortiz

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
This journal provides immediate open access to its content, based on the principle that offering the public free access to research helps a greater global exchange of knowledge. Each author is responsible for the content of each of their articles.










Universidad de Oriente