The visit of Assistant Professor Dr. Forhad Hossain to Ateneo de Davao University from 1 to 4 July 2026 marked a significant engagement in the collaboration between Sophia University, Japan, and Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU). His visit was a direct outcome of the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL)-enhanced initiative jointly implemented by the ADDU School of Business and Governance and Sophia University under the facilitation of the Ateneo Internationalization for Mindanao (AIM) Office.
Building on the success of the COIL engagement, Dr. Hossain’s visit served as an opportunity to extend the collaboration beyond the virtual environment by strengthening institutional relationships, exploring new avenues for academic and research partnerships, and fostering deeper engagement with various higher education institutions and innovation stakeholders across Mindanao.
Throughout his stay, Dr. Hossain participated in a series of academic, institutional, and cultural engagements designed to support the University’s continuing commitment to strategic internationalization. More importantly, the visit embodied the aspirations of the University Strategic Plan, Fortiores 2030, particularly the strategic commitment to strengthen local and international partnerships by linking global expertise with local realities to generate meaningful and sustainable impact for Mindanao.
Cultural Immersion and Exploratory Institutional Engagements (2 July 2026)
Dr. Hossain’s first full day in Davao City commenced with a guided cultural immersion at Museo Dabawenyo, introducing him to the rich history, heritage, and multicultural identity of Davao and Mindanao. Dr. Hossain gained insights into the region’s indigenous heritage, migration history, and socio-cultural development. The experience provided meaningful context for his succeeding academic engagements, particularly in relation to his work on entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable development, while fostering conversations on the important relationship between culture, community, and innovation.
Following the cultural immersion, Dr. Hossain proceeded to the Ateneo de Davao Ventures Innovation Center (ADDVentures) for an exploratory meeting. The meeting served as an avenue to exchange institutional experiences and explore potential areas for future collaboration. Both parties exchanged insights on startup incubation, innovation management, and entrepreneurship education, recognizing the shared objective of cultivating entrepreneurial mindsets that generate both economic and social value.
One of the key areas explored during the meeting was the possibility of collaborating on initiatives related to startup development, particularly in documenting, consolidating, and archiving the experiences, best practices, and milestones of startup ventures supported by the University. Such efforts were recognized as valuable institutional resources that could contribute to future research, entrepreneurship education, innovation management, and the continued strengthening of the University’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The exploratory meeting likewise opened opportunities for future knowledge exchange between Sophia University and ADDU through possible collaborative research, innovation programming, and academic engagement. While preliminary in nature, the discussion established a shared interest in identifying practical and sustainable avenues for partnership that support innovation and entrepreneurship within both institutions.
International Lecture Program at Davao del Norte State College (3 July 2026)
On 3 July 2026, Dr. Hossain visited Davao del Norte State College in Panabo City to serve as the resource speaker for the College’s International Lecture Program, attended by faculty members and students of the Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship program.
During the lecture, Dr. Hossain introduced participants to the concept of empathy-driven entrepreneurial ecosystems, emphasizing that entrepreneurship extends beyond business creation and economic growth. The lecture likewise explored the growing influence of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, in reshaping entrepreneurship education and startup development. Dr. Hossain encouraged participants to view technological advancement not merely as a tool for improving business efficiency but as an opportunity to develop innovative and socially responsive solutions capable of addressing complex local and global challenges. Through practical examples from his work in Japan and various international collaborations, he illustrated how higher education institutions can nurture entrepreneurial ecosystems that balance technological innovation with empathy, inclusivity, and sustainability.
Following the lecture, faculty members and students actively engaged Dr. Hossain in discussions on entrepreneurship education, startup development, and innovation practices implemented in different international contexts.
The International Lecture Program further strengthened the growing academic network among Sophia University, Ateneo de Davao University, and Davao del Norte State College.
International Learning Session and Exploratory Academic Collaboration (4 July 2026)
The highlight of Dr. Hossain’s visit to Ateneo de Davao University was the International Learning Session on Designing Empathy-Driven Entrepreneurial Ecosystems for a Sustainable Society, organized by the Ateneo Internationalization for Mindanao (AIM) Office in partnership with the School of Business and Governance (SBG). Held at the 3/F Ricci Hall, Pakighinabi Room, the session gathered faculty members and students for an engaging discussion on entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable development.
Immediately following the lecture, Dr. Hossain met with faculty members of the School of Business and Governance for an exploratory discussion. The meeting explored opportunities for joint research, publications, faculty engagement, and future COIL initiatives, particularly in entrepreneurship education, artificial intelligence, health innovation, micro-healthcare entrepreneurship, and university-based entrepreneurial ecosystem development. Faculty members were likewise encouraged to pursue collaborative research aligned with their individual expertise, with Dr. Hossain expressing his willingness to connect them with researchers and collaborators from Sophia University and his broader international network. The discussion concluded with a shared commitment to further develop collaborative research, academic exchange, and international learning initiatives, reinforcing the long-term partnership between the two institutions.
In the afternoon of 4 July 2026, Dr. Hossain visited the University of the Immaculate Conception to deliver a Global Visiting Lecture attended by faculty members, students, and representatives of the University’s Innovation Center.
Following the lecture, Dr. Hossain met with representatives of the UIC Innovation Center for an exploratory discussion on potential areas of collaboration between their respective institutions. Both institutions also explored possible collaborative initiatives that would strengthen innovation ecosystems within higher education while encouraging sustained international cooperation.
Through a series of cultural, academic, and exploratory engagements, Dr. Hossain shared his expertise in entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable development while fostering meaningful dialogue with faculty members, students, and institutional partners. More importantly, the visit identified promising opportunities for future collaboration in research, faculty engagement, entrepreneurship education, startup development, joint publications, and succeeding COIL initiatives.