October 9, 2023
Office of the University President, University of the Philippines
Diliman, Quezon City
On October 9, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø and the University of the Philippines (UP) signed an amended Memorandum of Agreement to add Civil Engineering and Environmental Studies to the Ph.D. programs that have been offered on the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Satellite Campus hosted by the University of the Philippines Los Ba?os (UPLB). The University of the Philippines is an important partner institution in ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s international strategy.
The signatories of the agreement were UP President Angelo A. Jimenez; ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø President Naoshi Sugiyama; UPLB Chancellor Jose Camacho, Jr.; Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension Nathaniel C. Bantayan; and ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Asian Satellite Campuses Institute Director Akira Yamauchi. They signed the amended MOA at the Office of the President of the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City.
According to President Jimenez, "This is very important because we are really globalizing. We are trying to increase our collaboration with many institutions. Our collaboration with ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, of course, is specifically very important." As President Jimenez noted, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø was the first overseas university he visited after assuming the position of UP President in February this year. "It will be part of a greater, closer relationship between the Philippines and Japan," he added.
When asked about the new Civil Engineering and Environmental Studies programs, President Jimenez said, "We will push and market this program strongly because it will be very specific. There is a need for more engineers in this country to provide the necessary skills and leadership in our development priority areas. That will be in industries, particularly advanced industries."
President Sugiyama extended appreciation to President Jimenez and UPLB Chancellor Camacho, Jr. for their visit to Nagoya in February. He detailed how ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø seeks to deepen partnerships with selected universities in Asia, North America, and Europe, including UP. "We would like to serve as a hub or node," he said.
ASCI is one of the key programs in the international strategy of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø. There are satellite campuses in six countries – Cambodia, Vietnam, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Laos and the Philippines. Six graduate schools at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø offer the "Transnational Doctoral Program for Leading Professionals in Asian Countries" on its satellite campuses in those six countries. This is a research-based doctoral program designed for professionals in government positions, university faculty and international agencies in each of the target countries.
The Philippines Satellite Campus was established at UPLB on December 2, 2015. Until now, the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Graduate Schools of Bioagricultural Sciences and International Development have offered Ph.D. programs. The new programs in Civil Engineering and Environmental Studies will start in 2024. To date, nine Filipino students have graduated from Transnational Doctoral Program, while nine others are currently enrolled. One new student joined the program on April 1, and three more joined on October 1. An entrance ceremony was held for the new students at the Philippines satellite campus on October 9.
