To achieve the University’s goal of expanding outside of Asia, Dr. Jesus Rafael B. Jarata, Director for Internationalization, Linkages and ETEEAP, and Mr. Farland Valera, Project Leader of the DMMMSU – Commission on Higher Education (CHED) funded research under the PhilCanEDUCON Magic 7+ Consortium’s Indigenous Knowledge Management System and Cultural Management (IKSCM) Program, took part in the 2022 Philippine-Canada International Academic Study Exposure Visit (IASEV) in the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada on October 1 to 15, 2022.
Dr. Jarata and Mr. Valera joined the Magic 7+ IASEV official delegation that included several officials from the other Philippine Higher Education Institutions (PHEI) namely, Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), Central Mindanao University (CMU), and Central Luzon State University (CLSU).
CHED’s indigenous knowledge system and cultural management program implemented by a group of seven PHEIs – Benguet State University, MMSU (IKSCM program lead institution), CLSU, CMU, DMMMSU, Mountain Province State Polytechnic College, University of Southeastern Philippines – popularly known as Magic 7, is the flagship program of the Philippine- Canada Education Consortium for International Collaborative Partnership or PhilCanEDUCON. The consortium partnered with the University of Saskatchewan (USask) to work on thematic areas in cultural education, traditional cuisine and food system, traditional health care management, cultural artifacts and indigenous knowledge system in agriculture, environment, and natural resources. With these areas, the Magic 7 are working together to continuously develop academic and research programs that faculty, staff and students can actively take part in developed educational exchange programs.
The mission provided an opportunity for consortium delegates to visit and meet with 11 institutions in Saskatchewan and Alberta such as University of Saskatchewan (USask), University of Regina (UofR), Saskatchewan Polytechnic, First Nations University of Canada, Saskatchewan Ministry of Advanced Education, and Ministry of Health, Saskatchewan Council for International Collaboration (SCIC), All Nations Healing Hospital, AGA Academy, University of Calgary (UofC), University of Alberta (UofA), and Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT).
Field visits and meeting-briefing sessions welcomed the Magic 7 delegation during their stay in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan— as delegates spent two days having dialogues with top officials from the USask. Among the points of discussion were the establishment of a program of exchange and collaboration in areas of interest and benefit to both institutions, including cooperation on development of academic programs and sharing of knowledge and best practices in teaching and student development as well as in the area of research and instruction on agriculture, environment and natural resources, renewable energy, cultural and development studies. indigenous studies on health and applied community medicine and development. climate resiliency among many others.
The delegates also visited the Rayner Dairy Research and Teaching Facility (RDRTF), located in USask, which accommodates approximately 100 lactating cows with both robotic, parlor and tiestall milking capabilities, animal handling and teaching areas, and research and staff space. They benchmarked on veterinary and agricultural practices in RDRTF as research performed in the facility includes dairy nutrition and feed development, animal fertility and health, animal management, technology development, application of information technologies, and development of green technologies for improved sustainability.
Meanwhile in Regina, Saskatchewan, the consortium delegates met and discussed with the officials of the Ministry of Advanced Education and Ministry of Health about the Saskatchewan Advance Education (SAE) Programs and Services that help institutions to work for communities and clientele, which focused on the policies, laws, and programs that showcase strong relationships between the government, educational institutions and the communities served.
With their discussions with university officials of UofR, transnational education for the nursing program and Indigenous Knowledge System and Cultural Management program collaborations together with the First Nations University of Canada are in the pipeline. Specific areas of engagement will be finalized before the visit of officials and face-to-face Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing with the heads of HEIs of the Magic 7 here in the Philippines in November 2022.
New consortium partnership is eyed— as the delegation also agreed to pursue a professional exchange program (visiting lectureship and research fellowship) and a student mobility/exchange program with the UofR. The Canadian university is also proposing the Student Exchange Agreement with DMMMSU— in which, during each academic year of the agreement, each Institution will provide an exchange for up to three undergraduate student at each university.
The delegation also visited and benchmarked services and facilities at the All Nations Healing Hospital. The hospital includes cultural and traditional services and access to traditional knowledge keepers, traditional medicines, traditional and spiritual institutes and spiritual counseling. The culturally sensitive design elements incorporated into the facility accommodate an approach to health care that recognizes the relationship between mind, spirit, body and community. As of press time, DMMMSU is seeking funding for the proposal on Indigenous Wellness and Traditional & Spiritual Healing Center. It is a holistic wellness center to provide cultural educational and health services for indigenous communities in the region.
In Alberta, the Magic 7+ delegation also met DOST scholars who are studying at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. They talked about their scholarship application process and ways forward. They also urged the consortium to “broaden their base” and influence universities to allow students ad graduates to join them in advancing science and technology.
Likewise, Dr. Jarata and Mr. Valera, along with the Magic 7+ delegates, sat down with the University of Calgary administrators to discuss matters of mutual concerns and interests. More importantly, the university also provides various opportunities for DMMMSU faculty and students such as undergraduate exchange programs, research collaborations and grants, and mobility support to nursing, engineering, indigenous studies, kinesiology, natural sciences, biological sciences and language and culture programs .
They also paid visit to the Philippine Consulate General in Calgary and met Consul General Zaldy B. Patron for a brief talk on exploring and pursuing education cooperation between the Philippines and Canadian universities. Consul General Patron also shared with the delegation the initiatives that the Philippine Consulate General in Calgary has undertaken to promote education cooperation between the Philippines and Alberta and Saskatchewan since 2018.
These internationalization activities aim to establish a wider and stronger relationship between DMMMSU and Canadian universities. Collaborative activities in research, faculty and staff development and student mobility are brewed in the next five years.
“DMMMSU being part of the mission to Canada is a testament to the strong internationalization initiatives of the university as it endeavors to partner with institutions in Canada”, DMMMSU President Dr. Jaime I. Manuel, Jr. said.
Apart from Canada, DMMMSU has bilateral agreements with universities in the US, Finland and Spain on academic exchanges, scholarships and the like, and more underway. (JRBJ)
