The Tec de Monterrey reviewed progress on its 2030 strategy as AI adoption, shifting labor market demands and global reskilling initiatives redefine higher education’s role in Mexico. With AI penetration reaching 66% nationally and demand for digital skills rising sharply, universities, employers and policymakers face pressure to align academic models, applied research and lifelong learning with industry needs. The strategy affects Mexico’s education, technology, health and industrial sectors, shaping workforce competitiveness, investment in R&D and long-term productivity within an evolving regulatory and global trade environment.

Tec de Monterrey convened more than 600 national and international leaders in Mexico City to review progress on its “Rumbo al 2030” strategy, positioning the institution within a global debate on AI, employability, and the future of work. The annual Council Meeting, held in the capital for the first time in 40 years, focused on execution amid technological disruption and labor market transformation.

“Education is a national project and a platform that strengthens nations and their citizens,” said Ricardo Saldívar, President of the Education Council, Tec de Monterrey, through a press release. He urged council members to assume an active role in implementing the 2030 strategy, strengthening local governance bodies and deepening collaboration with companies, communities, and authorities as universities confront financial pressure and questions over the return on investment of higher education.

AI Disruption Redefines Higher Education Strategy

The meeting took place on Feb. 15–17 as the institution marked 50 years of presence in Mexico City and more than 80 years since its founding. The group integrates Tec de Monterrey, Tecmilenio, and TecSalud, along with its vice presidencies of Research and Learning for the Future, under a unified management model tied to its 2030 roadmap.

The discussions unfolded against a global reassessment of how technology is reshaping work. The World Economic Forum (WEF) reports that AI adoption is moving from experimentation to structural integration across industries. According to WEF surveys, 54% of executives expect AI to displace jobs, while 24% anticipate job creation. Nearly 45% foresee higher profit margins from AI adoption, but only 12% expect wage gains.

In its analysis of labor market trajectories through 2030, the WEF outlined four scenarios, ranging from accelerated innovation to widespread displacement. Across all scenarios, the organization argues that outcomes will depend less on technology itself and more on how institutions invest in reskilling, governance, and human capital strategies.

The WEF’s Reskilling Revolution initiative reflects this shift. Since 2020, it has mobilized commitments projected to reach 856 million people in 79 economies, with a goal of 1 billion by 2030. More than 25 technology companies have pledged to support 120 million workers through access to AI tools, digital training, and job pathways. The WEF’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 estimates that 22% of current roles could be disrupted by 2030, generating 170 million new jobs and displacing 92 million.

For universities, the transformation is increasingly framed around what researchers describe as “Work 5.0,” a stage defined not by job replacement but by the speed at which required competencies evolve and the growing need for human-AI collaboration. An analysis examining the widening skills gap found that the challenge stems less from technological advances than from the difficulty institutions face in translating them into structured learning and workforce pathways.

In Mexico, 66% of the population has adopted AI, above the global average, according to data from Google and Ipsos. Use has shifted from experimentation to functional applications linked to productivity and learning. OECD surveys place Mexico among the highest users of Generative AI and digital tools, particularly among younger adults. LinkedIn data shows that demand for AI skills in Mexico grew 148% between 2023 and 2025, underscoring labor market pressure to adapt.

At the same time, governments are reassessing digital exposure earlier in life. In the United Kingdom, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges warns of potential public health risks linked to excessive screen time among children. In Mexico, lawmakers are reviewing reforms to restrict cellphone use during class hours in basic education, citing concerns about concentration and learning outcomes. These debates connect education policy, mental health and long-term workforce readiness.

Institutional Milestones Under the 2030 Roadmap

During the Council Meeting, David Garza, Executive President of the Education Group, Tec de Monterrey, outlined challenges facing higher education. He said institutions must prepare talent for a labor market redefined by automation while strengthening human competencies that cannot be replicated by machines. He added that the group should act not only as a trainer in technological tools but also as a platform for dialogue on responsible AI use and public policy.

Garza emphasized stronger research linkages with industry to accelerate applied solutions, noting that several countries have increased investment in research and development. He said collaboration with the productive sector and the ability to convert knowledge into measurable economic, social and health impact will be critical differentiators.

From Degrees to Lifelong Learning Platforms

Tec de Monterrey operates in 20 states and counts more than 400,000 graduates over nearly 83 years. Nearly 30,000 students have graduated under the Tec21 model, based on challenge-driven learning. The university reported increased industry funding for applied research and consolidation of its Innovation District in Monterrey, anchored by the Expedition FEMSA building and the upcoming Eduardo Garza T. Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hub. The institution ranks among the top 70 universities globally in employability, according to Times Higher Education, and first in Latin America in that indicator.

TecSalud reported that its OriGen Project reached 100,000 samples in a biobank focused on Latin American population genetics. The health system expanded academic collaboration with the University of Texas at Austin and strengthened high-complexity clinical and biomedical research procedures.

Tecmilenio operates in 23 states with more than 60,000 students. About 30% of its enrollment is under its modular, stackable, and customizable (MAPS) model, designed to provide flexible, skills-based pathways aligned with different life stages. The institution continues to emphasize employability and purpose-driven education.

Across lifelong learning programs, Tec de Monterrey and Tecmilenio reach over 200,000 individuals through upskilling and reskilling initiatives, with plans to scale to millions. This aligns with global calls for continuous learning systems capable of responding to rapid skill obsolescence. IBM research cited in international forums estimates that 57% of employee skills could become obsolete by 2030, while many organizations struggle to measure returns on AI investments.

Education leaders meeting ahead of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 have highlighted that scaling AI-enabled learning requires coordination across policy, pedagogy, infrastructure, and funding. OpenAI’s Education for Countries program and IBM’s Impact Accelerator are examples of public-private efforts designed to integrate AI into education systems through structured partnerships rather than isolated pilots.

As AI adoption accelerates and the definition of employability shifts toward adaptive, human-centered skills, the group’s articulated management model seeks to align academic innovation, applied research, and lifelong learning under a unified structure. Leaders argue that the decisive factor will be execution: whether universities can evolve from static credential providers into platforms capable of supporting continuous workforce transitions through 2030 and beyond.



Source link