Innovations of Higher Education on the Border:
Recycling Bicycles for New Opportunities

AMOUNT: $15,000 US

PROJECT LEADERS: Diane E. Austin, Efrain Carrillo Rios

INSTITUTIONS: University of Arizona and Instituto Tecnológico de Nogales

Higher education institutions (HEIs) have played a major role in supplying maquiladoras with skilled professionals. However, the number of maquiladoras in Nogales, Sonora decreased from 109 in 2000 to only 74 by 2002, representing a dramatic shift in the border economy. This project investigated the role that HEIs play in a changing border economy by adapting existing resources to support alternatives for micro-enterprise. The pilot project taught faculty, students, and the community the skills necessary to recycle bicycles and to create locally relevant products. Engineering students in Nogales, Sonora received basic training in bicycle mechanics. Once students completed the training, they in turn, trained others in these skills. The University of Arizona students and the ITN postgraduate students conducted an evaluation of the process of institutional change in Nogales, Sonora. The project also established a fully equipped bicycle recycling shop in Nogales, Sonora. A bilingual bicycle maintenance guide was published and four creative designs for recycled bicycles were produced based on community needs.