By Adrianne Lorenzo C. Corpuz

Intern

"The opportunity to be instructed by professors from a Japan university gives us the opportunity to experience science and technology differently and to emanate our being global MMSU students,” said Jerose Solmerin, a fourth year civil engineering student who is currently participating in an exchange program being conducted by the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) and the Ashikaga University in Japan.      

Solmerin is one among 11 students of MMSU College of Engineering who are the participants of the Sakura Science Exchange Program an online training-workshop on renewable energy. Running from February 28 to March 9, the activity involves online lectures and laboratory experiments being delivered by AU professors.      

MMSU student-participants include Nadine Sharinette Bravo (BS Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering), Ericson Carmen (BS Chemical Engineering), Asteryssaphire Cabulisan (BS Ceramic Engineering), Roderick Tumbaga and John Chousser Agnir (BS Electrical Engineering), Rhenz Medina and Warren Tabion (BS Mechanical Engineering), Neil Bryant Baliao (BS Computer Engineering), Humphrey John Balanay and Conrado Galang Jr. (BS Electronics Engineering) and Solmerin. 

Sponsored by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JSTA), with AU as its delivering institution, this program introduces MMSU participants to Japan’s state-of-the-art science and technology products and practices. 

On the other hand, seven AU students are currently undergoing a Special English Language Program at MMSU. Being delivered by the MMSU Language Center, the program involves topics on grammar, public speaking, presentation skills, and engagement in small group conversations.

The Japanese students enrolled in the said course are Kazuhiko Tozawa, Kei Narita, Moena Murata, Wataru Yasuda, Keita Makino, Mayu Kano, and Mitsuki Hiruma. They are currently pursuing degrees in system and information, architecture and civil engineering, and nursing at AU. 

MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis hopes the participants will gain more knowledge that would enable them to become key players in their respective fields in the future. 

For his part, AU President Kazuo Shoji expressed optimism that the exchange program will further activate the partnership between the two universities.

AU is one of the partner-universities of MMSU in Japan. In 2018, these universities conducted a training-workshop on renewable energy technologies as part of their partnership in line with academic, research, and business activities. (JVBT/DPTJ, StratCom)