Fifteen IPN Students Bound for Germany

By Adda Avendaño / Photos by Israel Vera

Through the KOSPIE Program, students will pursue academic studies, enhance their language skills, or complete professional internships.

In a significant step toward strengthening academic mobility, fifteen undergraduate students from the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN) are preparing to travel to Germany as part of the KOSPIE Program—a collaborative initiative between IPN and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

The announcement was made by Yessica Gasca Castillo, IPN’s Secretary for Innovation and Social Integration, during a formal send-off ceremony. The students will undertake academic stays at various German institutions, where they will spend a semester studying, improving their German language proficiency, or completing internships with German companies.

“As institutional leaders, our role is to open doors to transformative opportunities like this,” said Gasca Castillo. “But it is your dedication, discipline, perseverance, and resilience that brought you here. This achievement is yours—and you’ve earned it.”

Durdana Prado Álvarez, Deputy Director and Head of Marketing at DAAD congratulated the students and their families for embarking on what promises to be a profoundly enriching journey. She emphasized that the scholarship not only recognizes academic merit but also entrusts recipients with the responsibility of representing Mexico and IPN with integrity and distinction abroad.

Speaking on behalf of the group, María Fernanda Manríquez—a student at the Interdisciplinary Professional Unit of Engineering (UPIIG), Guanajuato Campus—encouraged her peers to approach the experience with openness and curiosity.

“I firmly believe that knowledge grows through human connection and that technology does not evolve in isolation—it progresses through collaboration,” she said. “Stepping thousands of kilometers beyond our comfort zone can be daunting, but I deeply admire those who have chosen to embrace uncertainty in pursuit of growth.”

David Itiel de la Luz Hernández, from the Interdisciplinary Professional Unit of Biotechnology (UPIBI), added that the program represents not only an academic milestone but the beginning of a life-changing experience—one that will allow them to apply their knowledge in real-world contexts and exemplify the values of the IPN student community.

Each participant received a Politécnico Ambassador Passport—a symbolic token of their role as institutional representatives. According to Juan José Ramírez Gutiérrez, Director of International Relations at IPN, the passport reflects “a deep commitment to honor, service, and community.”