Cebu Technological University (CTU) was among the 15 Philippine universities to participate in the month-long Strategic Training Program on Internationalization in Canada, jointly supported by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) as part of the K-12 transition period initiative.
The selection process involved the evaluation of institutions as well as the representatives. Looked into by the committee were concept papers for internationalization, institution profiles, curriculum vitae of participants, nomination forms and panel interviews. Final approval of the 15 applicants was made by CHED en banc with the CHED officer-in-charge Prospero de Vera.
“I did not think I’d get in because it was…only [for] 15 Philippine higher education institutions (HEIs). However, I thought it was really a call for me since, for some reason, on the said deadline of application for the training I was able to browse for the first time CHED’s K-12 Transition Program’s page, which advertised the training program on Internationalization,” said CTU Internationalization and ASEAN Integration Director Doris Gascon.
Dr. Gascon was in Canada from June 24 through July 20 listening to experts. Among the nine (9) topics taken, internationalization of curriculum and internationalization at home were given premium.
Moreover, Gascon visited 15 of the country’s best universities and colleges and ensured potential partnerships through discussions with administrators and experiential learning during campus tours.
The training culminated in the presentation of the university’s Strategic Internationalization Plan to CHED Commissioner de Vera, CHED International Affairs head Atty. Lily Freida Macabangun, CHED Finance/Higher Education Development Fund Director Luisa Valencia, and the CBIE Vice President for International Partnerships Basil Alashi and trainers Johannes de Witt and Sonja Knutson.
Following the training, CTU anticipates for the awarding of an Institutional and Innovation Grant (IDIG), which would fund the internationalization activities of CTU for up to 12 million pesos and give Dr. Gascon the privilege to train other international relations officers of universities and colleges in the region.
CTU is the only Philippine university in the Visayas region to participate in said training. Other participating universities were Caraga State University, Capitol University, Cavite State University, Central Bicol State University of Agriculture, Central Mindanao University,Centro Escolar University, Far Eastern University, Holy Angel University, Lyceum of the Philippines – Batangas, Mapua Institute of Technology, St. Paul University Philippines, Tarlac Agricultural University, Technological Institute of the Philippines, and University of the Immaculate Conception. Office of the University Director for Internationalization and ASEAN Integration