Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea – The Association of Universities of Asia and the Pacific (AUAP) carved slots for Samar State University’s (SSU) student internship in Romania, Europe in May 2017.
SSU’s role now is to look for resources and screen students who will qualify depending upon the activities, said Dr. Marilyn D. Cardoso who attended the 12th AUAP General Conference on “The Roles of Universities in Fostering Student Employability and Entrepreneurship at the Novotel Hotel, Daegu City, South Korea, Nov-7-9 (16).
She continues, the doors are now open for internationalization of the students and mobility of faculty and students outside the country. While students are traveling they will see places, deal with people and their culture. She felt overjoyed for the slots.
Ninety-seven participants all over the world responded to AUAP-Deagu Health Office (DHC) conference including universities from Romania and the United States of America to promote a platform of exchange of ideas, suggestions, and implementation of proposed strategies in higher education, employment, and entrepreneurship.
Qualifications at hand
“We have to select students to send for international internship,” Cardoso stressed.
Those who are in the dean’s list, student leaders, in the president’s list are required along encouragement and push to file for their passport in their 3rd or 4th year level because three or four months processing has a slim chance of completion with time as the enemy.
Plans ahead
In the administrative and academic council meeting, the president will announce to the council this requirement lateral her instructions to the university’s budget officer, Dr. Lydia Gonzales, more or less to send a faculty representative – from each college- outside the country in 2017.
“Very rewarding akon meeting ha Handong Global University (My meeting at Handong Global University was very rewarding),” she said. “I think they are planning to send practice teachers from South Korea to Philippines and vice-versa. So, we take good care of their interns and they will take good care of our interns too,” Cardoso added.
Loop of the matter
The president saw during the SUC leveling that SSU’s weakness is on mobility. Her attendance at Handong Global University inspired her with its guiding principle: “Why not change the world” with the tagline “From Christ, Through Christ and To Christ.” It is all about pleasing the Lord, she said.
“We were able to have an agreement with Daffodil University in Bangladesh, one of the best universities in Bangladesh, a private university. We already have a unified agreement among members of AUAP, 97 members,” she continued.
Handong Global University preferred an agreement per activity; it’s a partnership, Cardoso emphasized.
Meeting HGU’s university president
“I submitted my curriculum vitae and the profile of the university. After HGU confirmed the meeting, they set the schedule from fetching me at the train station to touring me in the university with their powerpoint of the best aspects of the university. They are very organized.” She stated.
Further, she shared informing the HGU’s president of South Korea’s (SK) response to Philippines’ typhoon Hyain (Yolanda local name) devastation.
“You sent your troops during our war,’’ Dr. Sunghee Nam recalled Philippines also helping out SK in 1950’s Korean war.
Dr. Cardoso learned HGU monitors their alumni. They put ‘light’ on a big screen with a map to locate what country their alumni has taken effect or significantly contributed. That is why, “Why not Change the World?”
“The experience was rewarding at the same time you fell in love with the place and the people were very accommodating to foreigners.” Cardoso gladly evoked.
AUAP History
AUAP was found and established by representatives of universities in Asia and Pacific region during a conference in Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhom Ratchasima, Thailand, July 28, 1995 published at www.e-auap.org.