Viva Travel Grant Opens New Creative Pathways to Mexico for Longhorns
- Apr 23, 2026
- Global Engagement and Strategy
For Longhorn faculty and students who are ready to explore bold ideas across borders, connecting with Mexico just became more accessible. A new partnership between Texas Global and Viva, Mexico’s leading low-cost airline, is unlocking fresh opportunities for academic engagement between The University of Texas at Austin and one of its most dynamic international collaborators.
Under this forward-looking agreement, Viva will provide up to 100 complimentary round-trip flights for eligible UT Austin faculty and students traveling for academic purposes from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) to Monterrey (MTY) or Mexico City-Felipe Ángeles (NLU). With Viva’s expansive domestic network, travelers can easily reach additional destinations across Mexico — opening imaginative avenues to more research sites, academic partnerships, and communities nationwide.
The initiative is guided by the Mexico Global Gateway, UT's strategic framework for expanding institutional partnerships, research collaboration, and experiential learning throughout the country.
“Our collaborations with institutions throughout Mexico are a testament to the broad interests of UT Austin’s faculty and students in research, creative exploration, and pursuing educational opportunities,” said Sonia Feigenbaum, senior vice provost for global engagement and chief international officer. “We are sincerely grateful to Viva for removing practical barriers and for contributing to our vision to sustain and deepen partnerships throughout Mexico. This grant illustrates how the Mexico Global Gateway enables meaningful engagement and translates our ambitions into lasting impact.”
Each year, more than 200 UT Austin faculty members engage in research, teaching and collaborations with peers across Mexico, and an average of more than 180 students pursue education abroad programs throughout the country — demonstrating the enduring creative energy that fuels cross-border discovery with the University’s top destination in Latin America.
This partnership offers greater access to opportunities for joint research, fieldwork, study abroad, conferences, and immersive academic exchanges aligned with UT Austin’s global priorities — inviting Longhorns to imagine, create, and pioneer new solutions alongside partners across Mexico.
Viva’s participation in the agreement strengthens this momentum, reflecting a shared commitment to expanding access to knowledge and supporting visionary initiatives between UT and Mexico. By lowering barriers to mobility, the agreement empowers faculty- and student-led innovation and sparks new modes of collaboration.
Viva Chief Executive Officer Juan Carlos Zuazua, a graduate of the McCombs School of Business at UT Austin, has long championed the University’s creative spirit. During a video address in October 2025 for McCombs' Center for Global Business, he underscored the airline’s dedication to innovation, international connectivity and collaboration with world-shaping academic institutions.
Faculty and students interested in applying for complimentary flights can explore eligibility details on the Viva Travel Grant page of the Texas Global website. Awards will be made on a competitive basis, in alignment with academic purpose and institutional priorities.
As UT Austin continues to deepen its engagement with Mexico and the broader region via the Mexico Global Gateway, the Viva partnership represents a bold step forward — supporting the people, partnerships and projects that drive discovery and make a global impact.
