San Francisco  October 24, 2007

Alliant International University and Monte Fenix Foundation Launch Addictions Research Institute

Alliant President Geoff Cox today announced a partnership between Alliant International University and the Monte Fenix Foundation and Clinic in Mexico City to form an Addictions Research Institute. The Institute is being established with an initial gift of $100,000 from the Monte Fenix Foundation, whose Chairman, Jorge Larrea Espinosa, is an alumnus of Alliant’s Mexico City Campus and a former Trustee of the Alliant International University. 

Alliant will use a matching grant to bring the total initial funding to $200,000. 

This generous gift from Jorge Larrea and his family offers Alliant the opportunity to join with the Monte Fenix organization in becoming one the world's leading centers for research and training in the addictions field. 

“I am sure that this Institute will one day be the leading institution of clinical research in addictions, providing innovative models for specialists all over the world, starting with the Latino community in the United States,” said Mr. Larrea. “It will act as a beacon of light so that the public and private sectors can develop cost effective and successful treatment alternatives.”

The Monte Fenix Foundation, established in 1980, is one of the world’s leading centers of treatment, research and training in the field of addictions, having helped over 4,000 individuals and 12,000 family members. It offers detoxification and rehabilitation services and facilities as well as a training institute for treating addictions.

The Addictions Research Institute will sponsor applied, clinical research on the causes and treatment of all forms of addictive behavior.  It will provide opportunities for Alliant faculty and students to interact with researchers and practitioners from the Monte Fenix Clinic, as well as internship and field study opportunities in Mexico.  Larrea said that the Institute “will transmit knowledge so that students in educational institutions that span  the globe have access to information that will allow them to lead  the way in creating a new culture that treats the addict with professionalism, skill, and respect, thus helping in the creation of a healthier and happier world.”

“The resources and strengths of Alliant and Monte Fenix complement each other very well,” said Dr. Cox. “Together we have a base of talent, experience and resources devoted to work in the addictions field that may be unmatched anywhere. The opportunities for impact in this critical area are unlimited.”

With participants from the U.S. and Mexico, the Institute will provide special opportunities for cross-cultural studies in addictions treatment.  This will be a "virtual" institute, open to participation by faculty and students from all campuses and programs at Alliant.  An Advisory Board will be devised to oversee Institute projects.

About Alliant International University
Alliant Mexico was established in 1970 as Universidad Internacional de Mexico, A.C. under the auspices of United States International University (USIU). As a part of its mission, USIU provided international education by establishing campuses in various parts of the world, focusing on having a presence in every region. Mexico represented the Latin American arm of this mission.

Alliant is the only university in Mexico authorized to offer all of its programs in English. Its Mexico City Campus offers a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology, a Spanish Language and Cultural Immersion Program. Students on Alliant’s California campuses are encouraged to broaden their skills by also spending time studying on the Mexico City Campus.

In 2001, the California School of Professional Psychology and United States International University merged to become Alliant International University. As such, Alliant has six sites in California, one in Mexico and programs in Tokyo and Hong Kong. Alliant, as both of its founding institutions, continues to provide diverse, multi-cultural and international educational programs at undergraduate, masters and doctoral levels.