By Niña Christelle Manuel Sumintac

Boosting multicultural appreciation and creativity, Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) partnered with Universitas PGRI MADIUN (UNIPMA) in Indonesia for a webinar series on language and humanities.

Held in February, the Artes Y Letras 2023: Multicultural Creativity and Appreciation in Education discussed the literature, languages, poetry, songs, and stories of both Philippines and Indonesia.

Spearheaded by the MMSU Internationalization, Linkages & Partnership (ILP) Directorate of the university and its UNIPMA counterpart, these sessions sought to foster cultural awareness and mutual learning between the Filipino and Indonesian students through cultural performances.

According to Professor Jeanette G. Dials, chief for international faculty and student mobility, the collaboration between the two universities, intends to further the internationalization efforts by fostering cultural and educational development.

UNIPMA presenters included Ms. Sri Lestari, director for internationalization and linkages; and members of the faculty, Ms. Asri Musandi Wraulia and Ms. Ibu Lusia Kristiasih.

Prof. Dials, together with Prof. Kharen D. Vidad, program coordinator of the Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSEd) Major in Filipino program, and Dr. Jay Ar Cristobal, program coordinator of the BSEd English program, served as MMSU presenters.

A total of 247 faculty and students from UNIPMA and MMSU attended the virtual webinar series. The five-day webinar series was in a staggered schedule (February 7, 9, 21, 27, and 28). The ILP will have a Malaysian university as its partner for the next international webinar series in April. (HLY/JVBT/SCO, StratCom)