SLSU-ELIA joins UMAP Nat’l Conference
On October 16-17, 2024, Southern Leyte State University through the External Linkages and International Affairs Office attended the University Mobility Asia Pacific (UMAP) National Conference with the theme, “Rebooting and Harmonizing Internationalization Initiative”, at Bohol. An event that gathers all international relations officers among State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in the country, offering inclusive and diverse opportunities while sharing wealth of expertise from the various speakers.
This national conference organized by the Commission of Higher Education International Affair Service (CHED-IAS) in partnership with the University Mobility Asia Pacific (UMAP) Council Inc. Philippines, serves as an advocacy meeting among all SUCs to encourage to be a member of UMAP and continuously engage in international mobility for students, faculty, and staff.
The event commenced with a warm welcome from Dr. Maura Consolacion D. Cristobal, Director IV of CHED Region VII, and Dr. Anthony M. Penaso, University President of Bohol Island State University. Both leaders emphasized the importance of forging international academic ties to elevate the quality of education for Filipino students, and highlighted UMAP’s role as a catalyst for forging international cooperation and emphasized the organization’s impact in strengthening academic mobility across the region.
Dr. Heracleo Lagrada provided an insightful overview of UMAP, focusing on its key features such as the UMAP Credit Transfer Scheme (UCT) and CHED Memorandum Order No. 33, which aims to promote student exchanges and credit transfers among member institutions.
The event also included a comprehensive discussion on the various types of UMAP membership, led by Dr. Jeremy Morales. He outlined the requirements and benefits of membership, emphasizing how institutions can organize both human and material resources to create meaningful programs.
The second part of the session, the UMAP Board Members discussed UMAP’s USCO System and Its Challenges, starting with the consultation and presentations of Bayanihan Collaborative Open Internation Learning (COIL) iLab and its Manual; and then moving forward to Creative Solutions for Mobilitity Concerns and Crisis & Change Management.
The University Mobility Asia Pacific (UMAP) is a consortium of Higher Education Institutions and partners, collaborating to increase opportunities for study abroad across the Asia Pacific region through a variety of short and long-term in-person and virtual exchange programs, as well as Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) experiences (UMAP.org).
At Southern Leyte State University (SLSU), we constantly seek new international opportunities and push the boundaries of education in order to enhance the learning experiences of our students. In the age where learning extends beyond the four walls of the classroom, SLSU remains committed to meeting diverse educational needs and creating opportunities for academic growth and collaboration.
A key event that aligns this commitment was through UMAP because it serves as a crucial platform for encouraging internationalization and mobility.
SLSU’s participation in the UMAP conference reflects the university’s ongoing efforts to expand its international networks and academic partnerships, enhancing opportunities for students to gain global exposure and develop skills that transcend traditional classroom settings.
