SU Aggies faculty member completes summer school program in Germany

Asst. Prof. Arsenio D. Bulfa Jr., a faculty member of the Silliman University (SU) College of Agriculture, has completed a summer program at the Heidelberg Institute of the Global Health of the Heidelberg University in Germany.

Bulfa joined 23 other junior researchers from Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, South East Asia, and South Asia in the program, “Enhancing Academic Qualifications in Teaching and Research in Global Health.”

Funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with financing by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the program had two phases. The online phase was from August 7-26, 2024 while the onsite phase in Heidelberg was from August 1-29, 2024.

Bulfa described the program as a highly practical hands-on training that effectively enhanced participants’ understanding and skills, addressing all relevant aspects of the training both individually and as part of a group.

“Teaching methods encouraged active participation and were designed to stimulate thought, debate, and discussion. Sufficient time was also given for self-directed learning and feedback/coaching by facilitators,” Bulfa added.

The modules included creating an intercultural learning environment to familiarize participants with each other and the setting, participatory teaching techniques to equip participants with the theoretical background and tools needed to develop and implement these techniques successfully, quality and ethics in human health research, and grant proposal writing.

In addition to the content-focused sessions, the summer school program included visits to Bonn (DAAD headquarters, Deutsche Welle, GIZ, United Nations) and Strasbourg (European Parliament), along with various social activities aimed at fostering professional and intercultural exchange, as well as social networking among participants.

Bulfa is currently pursuing a PhD in Agronomy at the University of the Philippines on a scholarship from the DAAD and Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA).