Intl. partners, mentors join SLSU towards internationalization
“We expand to serve”.
That is the primary vision of the Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) President herself, Dr. Prose Ivy G. Yepes, as international partners and mentors joined SLSU in an online Institutional Strategic Planning and Mentoring Session for Internalization held on October 1-3, 2020
“We want to maximize the university’s ability to help and improve its services to better serve the community.”, Yepes said in a phone interview.
The program was done to orient the role and responsibilities of all academic administrative and key players for a holistic management of internationalizing SLSU. It also aimed to integrate internationalization in the curriculum, research and external engagement with the community, and to formulate the SLSU Internationalization Framework and Roadmap.
The office of the Vice President for Executive Operations and External Affairs (VPEOEA), which is directly under the office of the University President, serves as the oversight of the internationalization activities of the university which shall be carried out by the International Affairs Office (IAO).
Furthermore, the VPEOEA is the frontline arm of the university’s thrust for the promotion of closer relations with agencies, other educational institutions, alumni, and industries, locally and internationally, and to undertake programs and initiatives that will foster effective community relations. It thereby creates impacts to the lives of the community people.
The Executive Operations and External Affairs (EOEA) office adopts strategic framework of innovations defined through the inter-operability of the different key components such as market-matching, operational excellence, resilience, efficiency, flexibility, outcomes-based, competitiveness, upgrading and sustainability. These key components shall integrate internationalization as can be reflected in the curricular programs, research and innovations agenda, external engagements with the community agenda, student development programs and institutional development directions.
To date, international affairs heads in all SLSU campuses are able to collect baseline data on the current situation of internationalization of the university which would lead and guide in coming up with the needed framework and terms of reference to put all internationalization endeavors in order.
A general SLSU roadmap is set to provide the right internalization perspective, as the support and guidance from Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is continually sought.
On behalf of the SLSU community, Yepes is grateful to have worked closely with leaders and proficient partners/mentors to bring SLSU 'closer to the world'.
"It is our great honor to be mentored by people whose kindness and zeal would help us bring SLSU to even greater heights of excellence," Yepes quipped.
The internationalization journey of SLSU can be properly aligned, embraced, and sustained its international dimension in all aspects of holistic management with the end in mind to enhance quality teaching and learning, research and innovations, extension and other external affairs services, especially the management of a functional, responsive and dynamic internationalization office.