VPD Joins Leaders in Thailand Explore Transcultural Challenges
Vice President for Development Prof. Jane Annette L. Belarmino joined presidents and top officials of 66 universities from 17 countries during the 13th Asian University Presidents Forum (AUPF) held October 22 to 25 in Bangkok, Thailand.
She represented Silliman President Dr. Ben S. Malayang III in the conference that tackled the theme “Transcultural Challenges for Innovation in Higher Education”. The plenary and parallel sessions focused on transcultural challenges for innovation in sciences and technology, health sciences and nursing, humanity, social sciences and other academic fields.
The forum also provided an opportunity for Professor Belarmino to meet with counterparts from other Asian universities and explore areas of collaboration. Her participation also paved the way for Silliman to be invited to the Global Access Asia project.
Global Access Asia is a project wherein one or two topnotch courses from the participating universities will be made available in an online format to students of AUPF member universities. These students may take the courses for credit. Dongseo University of South Korea will host the project using the resources of its affiliate, Busan Digital University.
AUPF originated from a friendly collaboration beginning in December 1999 among institutions of higher learning in China and Thailand. It now enjoys a wider network, and has been instrumental in forging partnerships among universities in Asia.
(Professor Belarmino with Dr. Nguyen Van Thu, president of Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport.)
