CSU LAUNCHES INTERNATIONAL CONVOCATION PROGRAM AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE WITH UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MALAYSIA

Cagayan State University (CSU), through the Office of the Vice President for Internationalization, Partnership, and Resource Mobilization (IPRM), launched the Interdisciplinary Convocation Program and Cultural Exchange in collaboration with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) on February 3, 2025. Themed "Futures Thinking Towards Sustainable Development Goals," the event was held via an online conference.

In his message, OIC President Dr. Arthur G. Ibañez reaffirmed CSU’s commitment to becoming a globally competitive institution, emphasizing that internationalization is a key pillar in achieving that vision. “This partnership with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia is a shining example of how we aim to build bridges with like-minded institutions—bridges that foster meaningful exchanges, inspire innovation, and develop solutions to the pressing challenges of our time,” he said.

Carig Campus CEO Engr. Roger P. Rumpon highlighted the importance of academic excellence and mutual respect among institutions in his opening remarks. Meanwhile, VP for IPRM Dr. Ana Marie Cristina C. Cauilan emphasized the convocation’s purpose – “Our program, as a proactive response to the global challenges on sustainable solutions, aligns with our Internationalization Roadmap at CSU and the Antenna IZN Roadmap of CHED. By enabling international mobility for our students and faculty, we are not just opening doors, we are building bridges that connect diverse minds and cultures”, she said.

The program is rooted in the MOU between CSU and UTM, and the Board of Regents resolutions which served as the legal and academic foundation for the collaboration. The event aims to increase awareness of the SDGs among the participants, empowering them to become advocates for sustainable practices in their respective fields.

The topics of the convocation series includes plenary sessions on the overview of the 17 sustainable development goals, to lay down the foundation of the event’s mission; The Triple Bottom Line: balancing economic, social, and environmental sustainability, to grasp the need for stability in SDGs; Global Challenges Addressed by SDGs and role of governments, business and individuals in achieving the goals.

Additionally, the series’ breakout sessions focused on engineering and technology, computing sciences and information technology, humanities and social sciences, agriculture and life sciences, education, environment and natural sciences, and law and governance.

The event, spearheaded by Director for Internationalization Prof. Kristine Lara, features a month-long series of plenary sessions, research presentations, and lectures aimed at generating collaborative research proposals that can lead to impactful projects addressing specific SDGs and create educational resources that can be shared across our institutions, strengthening academic networks.

Meanwhile, a face-to-face convocation is set to take place on February 24-28, 2025, at UTM Johor Bahru, Malaysia.