UP President Alfredo E. Pascual challenged the MSU-IIT to “move forward, go upward and outward, and take on the challenge of representing the [MSU System] university, the region and the country” in preparation for a new era towards internationalization.
He likewise urged the Institute to sustain and nurture its achievements to form the ‘strong foundation’ it needs to achieve ‘greater heights through internationalization’ in keeping with this year’s theme during his message at the Institute’s 45th Charter Day program on July 12, 2013 at the Gymnasium. (See full text of President Pascual’s speech here)
Pascual emphasized that, most importantly, we must prepare for ASEAN 2015 since many in the country’s education and manufacturing sectors are not prepared for the upcoming regional economic integration within ASEAN. According to Pascual, globalization has exerted too much pressure on HEIs “to compete with one another” on the world’s stage resulting in ‘battles’ in university rankings thus forcing HEIs to strive for excellence.
He said that UP and the MSU-IIT are expected to support government development programs by providing a skilled, nationalistic workforce yet possessing an international attitude the country needs. He said that universities must respond to globalization to achieve internationalization by strengthening social, economic bonds between HEIs through ‘vibrant exchanges’ and “peaceful living” in a global community.
The government had launched internationalization 13 years ago, according to Pascual and citing UP’s mandate towards internationalization, one of the main aims to improve its ranking among the world’s universities, among other strategies are accreditation and international benchmarking; internal academic assessment, and allowing international external reviews of its programs; pursuing internationalization through student exchanges; and, putting in place foreign academic credit transfers, distance and e-learning, as well as collaborations in graduate theses, and faculty fellowships abroad.
Among UP’s thrusts toward internationalization Pascual mentioned is that it is the business of UP, MSU-IIT and all of the country’s educational institutions “to search for and create a truly Filipino identity” in the “context of the world we live in” as “driver for our own research in the social sciences and the arts and humanities” to result in “a distinct Filipino identity” that can be bannered across the world.
Pascual further said that one of UP’s plans is to create an International Office in UP in order to deal with globalization because changes in the world’s economy, scientific and technological advances will affect education.
For his part, Chancellor Sukarno D. Tanggol in his welcome message recalled IIT’s “steady and sustained march towards academic excellence” by continuously providing workers and human resources to industries for the economic growth of the country.
He said that IIT as one of the leading HEIs in the country has to face bigger problems in society in light of our national development. He affirmed that IIT’s gains have been made possible through “the dedication and hard work of its men and women, the faculty and staff” hence, IIT’s recognition and the giving of awards that they richly deserve.
(CGO-OC-OPI News Release)
Topics : charter day