SSU participated in this year’s 12th Asia Technological Universities Network (ATU-Net) Board Meeting and CHED – MSU-IIT Higher Education Leaders’ Forum on November 3-5, 2024 at Cheradel Suites, Villa Verde, Iligan City.
The ATU-Net Board meeting is an annual gathering where board members review the year’s accomplishments, activities, and programs, discuss future plans and strategies, and select the host for the following year’s meeting. This year marked the first attendance of Dr. Redentor Palencia, the newly installed president of Samar State University (SSU), following SSU’s induction to the ATU-Net Board last year.
The Higher Education Leaders’ Forum, held in collaboration with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), was hosted by Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) with the theme “Navigating the Future of Higher Education in the Digital Age.” His Excellency Dato Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino Anthony, the Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines, graced the event, underscoring the significance of international collaboration in higher education.
Keynote speakers included Prof. Datuk Ir. Ts. Dr. Ahmad Fauzi bin Ismail, Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia; Atty. Basari D. Mapupuno, President of Mindanao State University; and Dr. Achmad Wicaksono, Director of the Endowment Fund at Universitas Brawijaya in Indonesia. Each speaker highlighted their institution’s best practices in navigating digital transformation, sharing insights on the strategies and innovations shaping their universities’ future.
The forum also included focus group discussions on critical themes such as “Transforming Curriculum in Philippine Higher Education Institutions: Embracing Digital Tools and Pedagogies for a Modern Education System”; “Digital Divide and Internationalization: Challenges Facing Philippine HEIs in the Global Education Landscape”; and “Navigating Institutional Barriers and Cultural Adaptations: Challenges and Opportunities in Staff and Student Mobility Across Asia’s Diverse Higher Education Landscape.” Dr. Palencia and Dr. Irene participated in the first discussion group, where they shared their vision for preparing students for the next decade and explored curriculum strategies to meet future educational needs.
