The External Affairs Office of Iloilo Science University has achieved a new milestone in the internationalization agenda of the University through 15 formalized international partnerships with various academic institutions from Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, and Thailand.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Approved Minutes of the Meeting (AMM) Signing Ceremony was done virtually and was led by ISAT U President Dr. Raul F. Muyong. Dr. Nemia H. Mabaquiao, Vice President for External Affairs served as witness during the online event supported by the rest of the Vice Presidents of the University, Campus Administrators, Deans, Directors and External Affairs personnel.

The MOU and AMM Signing Ceremony was done on three separate days which started on October 16, 2021 at 2:00 PM Philippine time with Pangkep State Polytechnic of Agriculture (PSPA) in Indonesia. On October 25, 2021, there were 13 international institutions that took part in the ceremony with  nine (9) Indonesian institutions: Bina Insani University (BiU), Institut Teknologi dan Bisnis Asia Malang (Institut Asia), Politeknik Elektronika Negeri Surabaya (PENS), Sekolah Tinggi Informatika dan Komputer Indonesia (STIKI), Universitas Muhammadiyah Pontianak (UM Pontianak), Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha (Undiksha), Universitas PGRI Madiun (UNIPMA), Universitas PGRI Semarang (UPGRIS), Universitas Tidar (UNTIDAR); one (1) from Laos: Dongkhamxang Agriculture Technical College (DATC); two from Malaysia: Politeknik Ibrahim Sultan and Politeknik Mersing Johor; and one from Thailand:  Chiang Rai Rajabhat University (CRRU). The online event was capped with the MOU signing of ISAT U and Institut Pertanian Bogor University (IPB) on October 26, 2021.

In his message of commitment, Dr. Raul F. Muyong – ISAT U President, promised international partner institutions to uphold the commitment toward international higher education mobility and internationalization of education among ASEAN partners. He wished good health, reinforced commitment, strengthened motivation and enthusiasm to students, faculty, staff and international affairs personnel. According to him, these people are the prime movers of the each school’s goal to internationalize education. Dr. Muyong also emphasized that partnerships do not only aim at sharing knowledge and expertise, and provide avenues for growth and development, it is also an opportunity for appreciation of values and uniqueness amidst cultural diversity in the academe.

The international partner institutions agreed to collaborate with ISAT U in collaborating with each other on various mobility programs like international credit transfer program, guest lecturer exchange, co-curricular and extra-curricular online activities, summer programs, short courses and the like.

 

-Jieza J. Napone, LPT, MA.Ed.