SLSU-TO Leads COIL-COIN First Virtual Cross-Cultural Talk 2026

On March 19, 2026, educators from Vietnam and the Philippines participated in the first session of the Cross-Cultural Talk Series 2026, titled “Digital Handshake: How to Build Trust in Virtual Teams.” The session, led by Dr. Mark Galdo, was facilitated by SLSU-TO educators Dr. Sybill Ledesma, Dr. Merarei Gono, Mr. Jayson Orais, Mrs. Ma Jovillea Palanca, Mr. Raniel Aninapon, Mr. Adjie Segovia, and Mr. Isaiah Caesar Escolano. Dr. Leslie Elisa Cobilla of Southern Leyte State University – Tomas Oppus Campus and Dr. Chau Thi Hoang Hoa of Tra Vinh University guided the session from start to finish. This COIL-COIN session explored the role of cultural values in online communication and trust-building within virtual teams. 

Educators from Tra Vinh University, together with Philippine partner institutions including Southern Leyte State University, Palompon Institute of Technology, Samar State University, and University of Southeastern Philippines, engaged in meaningful discussions on cultural values, online communication, and trust-building in virtual teams.

Participants shared perspectives on greetings, expressing ideas, group work, and feedback across cultures, highlighting both similarities and differences between Vietnam and the Philippines. The session fostered open-minded dialogue, genuine connections, and practical strategies for digital collaboration.

The COIL-COIN Cross-Cultural Talk Series 2026 will continue with future sessions to further strengthen intercultural understanding and online collaboration among Southeast Asian students and educators. This promotes the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).