By John Vincent B. Toribio

To create more opportunities for inclusive international learning and training, the British Council, Commission on Higher Education, Mariano Marcos State University and four other state universities and colleges have started to work out plans for new transnational education programs during a collaborative discussion today. 
In line with the United Kingdom – Philippines Transnational Education Partnership, the learning session served as an avenue for faculty and staff to strategize the development of educational programs through healthy discussions, and knowledge and resources sharing. 

The activity is being currently held at the Center for Flexible Learning, and will end tomorrow. 

Dr. Mee Jay A. Domingo, director for international linkages and partnerships, bared MMSU is set to create a doctorate program on Information Technology in the near future, as its commitment to advance transnational education in this part of the country, 

“Our commitment to cooperate in the program by deploying our human and knowledge capital will not only benefit our faculty and students, but will also enhance the transnational cooperation between our country and UK,” Domingo said.

He explained that MMSU, Batangas State University, Central Mindanao University, Philippine Normal University Manila and University of the Philippines – Manila are expected to develop five new TNE programs as grantee-participants of the UK-Ph partnership. 

In the learning session today, BC, CHED and the SUC representatives are currently preparing for other knowledge-sharing sessions, project timeline, calendar of activities; tackling risks, issues, challenges and resolutions; and, setting expected project milestones. 
 

A highlight of today’s session was the presentation of Ms. Anna Floresca Firmalino, director for internationalization of the University of the Philippines – Los Banos, on the fundamentals of TNE and their learnings on the pilot project at UPLB. 

Also present in the activity are BC Country Director Lotus Postrado, Education Manager Pierre Pecson, Funds Manager Danieson Gonzalvo, and Program Officer Kris Anne Cortez, and resource person Kevin Van-Cauter. 

Moreover, CHED Chairperson J. Prospero De Vera III expressed his support to all participants and organizers. Officials including Mr. Lloyd Edgar Reyes, Mr. Brian Jay Ramos and Ms. Liane Lamat joined the fruitful engagement. 

The two-day activity is an offshoot of the grant the five SUCs received from BC and CHED under the Access and Competitiveness through Internationalization of Higher Education (ACT-IHE) Project. This project aims to develop and deliver new Philippine TNE programs, in partnership with UK universities, toward improving the global competitiveness of the Philippine higher education sector. 

In the project, fifteen representatives from the five SUCs (three from each school), are also set to be trained to become transnational education leads in the country. They then will train 100 other staff members on TNE.  

MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis expressed delight about the project, saying “this will surely advance our internationalization efforts which will re-position us once more in the global map of innovation and excellence.” - with reports from Ronan S. Punzalan, Intern (HLY, StratCom)