On 26 February 2025, international relations officers (IROs) and representatives from various member institutions of the University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific (UMAP) convened at the CHED Auditorium, HEDC Building, CP Garcia Avenue, UP Campus, Diliman, Quezon City, for the UMAP Philippines Annual Conference 2025. The event agenda included the General Assembly and the election of a new UMAP Inc. Philippines Board.
The morning program opened with a series of insightful discussions on UMAP’s role in advancing internationalization among Philippine Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Dr. Jeremy Morales, outgoing External Vice President of UMAP Philippines and newly elected President, provided an overview of UMAP’s history and achievements. This was followed by a talk on “A Regional Approach to Internationalization: Making Every Institution Count” by Dr. Christine N. Ferrer, Director of CHED Regional Office I. The session concluded with Dr. Laurene Chua-Garcia, outgoing President of UMAP Philippines, who led a thought-provoking discussion on the challenges faced by Philippine HEIs in achieving global competitiveness and the institutional support needed to strengthen internationalization efforts.
The speakers generously shared their insights, inspiring IROs and member institutions to strengthen their engagement with UMAP and maximize opportunities for academic mobility, collaboration, and global networking.
The afternoon session was dedicated to the presentation of nominees and the election of the new UMAP Philippines Board. With a quorum of votes reached, Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU) secured a seat on the Board, represented by Ms. Gillian Marie Porras, Program Officer for Internationalization Abroad from the Ateneo Internationalization for Mindanao Office. As part of the newly elected UMAP Board, she, along with her fellow board members, will steer UMAP’s initiatives, expand mobility programs, and strengthen international partnerships among HEIs.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the newly elected UMAP Philippines Board and look forward to a productive and impactful term ahead. This milestone will pave the way for greater inclusivity and a stronger global presence for Philippine universities within the international academic community.
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