UP, UPOU, and Shu-Te University discuss potential partnerships in academic exchanges, city diplomacy, and human resource development and regional integration.UP President Alfredo E. Pascual and UPOU Chancellor Dr. Grace Javier Alfonso were in Kaohsiung, Taiwan to explore partnership with Shu-Te University (STU) in academic exchanges, city diplomacy, and human resource development and regional integration.
In response to the invitation of STU President Dr. Yuan-Hsian Chu, Chancellor Alfonso and President Pascual led a group of UP academics who visited Kaohsiung City from 19 January to 22 January 2016. According to Dr. Chu, the Philippines and Taiwan "are the most valuable educational assets to raise the standard of regional human development." And that "it is our duty, moral obligation and responsibility to better our region by initiating multiple types of academic/education entrepreneurship."
To explore these initiatives, STU and the Manila Economic and Cultural Office in Taiwan brought them to the Export Processing Zone Administration (EPZA) and the Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc., (ASE) where majority of the wokers are Filipinos. They also visited the Pingtung Agricultural Biotechnology Park (PABP), the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST), STU, and the National Sun Yat-Sen University (NSYSU).
On 20 January, President Pascual and Chancellor Alfonso led the ceremonial opening of the UP Kaohsiung-Pingtung Fellowship Center at the Kindness Hotel in Kaohsiung. This Fellowship Center is dedicated by the Kindness Hotel to show support for the regional initiatives by Shu-Te University, UP and UPOU. The center's vision is "Better Life by Better Education, Better City by Top Universities, Better Region by Human Capital, Better Governance by enduring Entrepreneurship."
Also included in the party from the Philippines were Dr. Gisela Concepcion, UP Vice President for Academic Affairs; Dr. Melinda Lumanta, UPOU Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs; Dr. Jean Saludadez, UPOU Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration; Dr. Melinda Bandalaria, UPOU Dean of the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies; Dr. Inocencio Buot, Jr., UPOU Dean of the Faculty of Management and Development Studies; Dr. Lisa Carascal, UPOUFI Executive Director; Mr. Michael Lagaya, UPOU Chief AO for Human Resource and Development; and Ms. Agnes Mejia, UPOU AO of the Office of the Chancellor. (Anna Cañas-Llamas)
