Research and analysis

UK Science and Innovation Network summary: Mexico

Published 24 September 2024

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1. Science and innovation landscape in Mexico

Research in numbers

The recently created Ministry of Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation (SECIHTI) in Mexico plays a pivotal role in promoting and funding scientific research across the country. As part of their new mandate, they are entrusted with designing and implementing Mexico’s national policy on Humanities, Sciences, Technologies, and Innovation.

The Mexican science and innovation landscape is characterised by strong geographic, institutional and budgetary centralisation, where this institution manages most research programmes and is the main counterpart for cooperation in science and technology with international organisations.

Research and development (R&D) expenditure in Mexico as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) was 0.27% in 2022 according to the World Bank[footnote 1]. The sector with the most gross domestic expenditure on research and development is higher education, followed by the government sector, businesses and non-profit organisations, according to the OECD in 2017.

On science and technology, the total budget in 2024 is expected to reach £1.5 billion GBP which represents 0.51% of the total federal budget, of which 75% (MXN 25.72 billion) will be allocated to CONAHCYT, which most significant programmes are those which grant postgraduate scholarships in Mexico and abroad, giving a bonus to national researchers based on their productivity (National System of Researchers or SNI). The bulk of funding for research activities consists of federal funds.

Public research centres and universities mostly perform scientific research. Scientific production is highly centralised. The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) is the institution that receives the federal funds and devotes the most money to research, producing 30% of all publications by Mexican researchers.

Mexico has been ranked 58th in the Global Innovation Index 2023, and it holds the third position in Latin America. For this year Mexico was recognised as a global innovation leader, securing a place among the top 3 innovative economies in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Research and main higher education institutions

2. UK partnership with Mexico on science, technology and innovation

Mexico and the United Kingdom continued to strengthen the collaboration in science, technology and innovation. We have signed several bilateral partnership agreements over the past decade and there is potential to add more in the short term.

Mexico is currently the 13th largest economy in the world and has significant potential in emerging technologies. It is the second largest economy in the Latin American region and its internal demand is growing. This is evident particularly in sectors that are of interest to the UK. These include agriculture, renewable energy, financial services, retail, transport and infrastructure.

Mexico has signed 14 Free Trade Agreements (FTA) covering 50 countries. The UK-Mexico FTA is currently under negotiation. Mexico has high levels of access to global trade and supply chains, providing significant opportunities for international collaboration.

The UK has also signed its Accession Protocol to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which will have 12 members including Mexico. When Mexico ratifies such accession, it will allow a wide variety of products to be exported to the UK at reduced tariffs.

The cooperation with Mexico is very dynamic and priorities to date have included initiatives in Artificial Intelligence, digital and cybersecurity, water and biodiversity, through the joint analysis of public policy, scientific partnership and technology development.

3. Science and innovation network contacts

  1. World Bank. (2023). Research and development expenditure (% of GDP) [Data]. Retrieved from World Bank Data ↩

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