Morphing conversations among academics at international gatherings into cooperative planes have tied Cebu Technological University (CTU) to Universitas Pancasakti Tegal (UPT) of Indonesia and Maejo University (MU) of Thailand.
At the center are Dr. Sylvester Cortes and Dr. Anne Lorca of the College of Arts and Sciences, who have initiated and sustained the relationships through online lectures and joint publications prior to formalizing the alliances on May 21st at CTU.
Particularly, Dr. Cortes’ encounter with a UPT lecturer at the Naveen Jindal Young Global Research Fellowship in India, where both served as fellows last year, spurred the collaborative stance.
The ceremony coincided with the delegates’ participation in an extension-focused interdisciplinary conference hosted by CTU and a national organization, which reflected the essence of the agreement.
A handful of CTU academics were cited in the document, whose hands were on deck for the undertaking to materialize, including UPT President Dr. Taufiqulloh M.Hum who spoke at the summit.
Meanwhile, envoy Dr. Prakash Murgeppa Bhuyar shared MU’s commitment in the pre-signed agreement.
Locking in a five-year framework for cooperation in research, faculty and student mobility, academic exchanges, extension initiatives, and other internationalization programs marked the culmination of the partnership talks.
This move forms part of CTU’s strategic direction in silver-lining its internationalization presence in Southeast Asia, according to the CTU Internationalization and ASEAN Integration leadership./IAI
