By Jhoanna Faye Jacinto, STRATCOM Correspondent

Dr. Mee Jay Domingo, Mariano Marcos State University Vice President for Planning and Strategic Foresight (VP-PSF) attended the first part of the Dialogue on Innovative Higher Education Strategies (DIES) Training Course on Management of Internationalization 2025-2026 from March 10 to 19 at Leibniz Universität Hannover in Germany.

Selected as one of the 30 participants out of over 160 applicants worldwide, Dr. Domingo joins internalization leaders from higher education institutions in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. The course is organized by Leibniz University Hannover, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), and the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK).

Consisting of three workshops, Dr. Domingo will participate in another series of training in October 2025 in Manipal, India, and virtually in March 2026, following the completion of the first workshop in Hannover, Germany.

The course covers a wide range of topics, including regional and national internalization policies, strategies, and research, as well as the tasks of an international office, project management, change management, intercultural communication, and conflict management.

A key component of the program requires participants to develop and implement an internationalization project tailored to their home institutions, ensuring that the knowledge gained translates into tangible improvements.

Dr. Domingo said that the training would enable him to learn from global experts and institutions, enhancing the MMSU internalization framework and ensuring the collaborations are not only sustainable but also impactful.

“This opportunity will allow us to benchmark best practices in internationalization and adopt strategies that align with MMSU’s vision,” he added. 

During the first workshop, Dr. Domingo got the chance to visit the DAAD and HRK headquarters in Bonn, Germany. He also presented and received feedback for his proposed program, Project RIMat—Refocus the internationalization priorities of MMSU, Involve the university’s stakeholders in its IZN Initiatives, and Master the Art and practice the Tips in networking and Partnerships—to a panel of experts.

Project RIMat aims to revisit and update the university’s Strategic Internationalization Plan (SIP), originally established in 2020. The project seeks to engage key stakeholders—including academic deans, faculty members, students, and university leadership—to ensure a more inclusive and sustainable internationalization framework. 

Dr. Domingo noted that ensuring the sustainability of global engagements is one of the university’s most pressing challenges. “Many of our past partnerships and programs have become inactive over time. Through Project RIMat, we aim to redefine our internationalization priorities, strengthen stakeholder buy-in, and establish a more structured, long-term approach to global collaborations,” he said.

With Project RIMat and Dr. Domingo’s engagement in the DIES program, MMSU is poised to strengthen its global reputation, expand research collaborations, and strengthen a more internationally competitive learning environment. 

In 2024, Dr. Domingo, then Director of Internationalization, Linkages, and Partnerships, received the Emerging Leadership Award at the Internationalization Champion of Nation-building and Sustainability (ICONS) Awards in Pasay City for leading the university's internationalization programs and initiatives.

Since 2001, the program has been jointly coordinated by the DAAD and HRK, with funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in Germany. It offers universities in developing and emerging countries opportunities to professionalize institutional management processes, align training courses with international quality standards, and expand research capacities.

Photos by  Leibniz University Hannover, the German Academic Exchange Service, and the German Rectors’ Conference.