Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan continues to form and shape a productive and a prosperous future by having, among others, invited-requested lecturers and their inter-disciplinary lectures that help build up and nurture the intellectual and moral capital of the students, faculty, administration and support staff. All housed in the University Little Theatre, the recently-held Lectures would include the following on:
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March 8, 2023, Wednesday.
Topic: TRANSITIONING INTO THE NEXT AMBISYON NATIN 2040 BASE CAMP: The Northern
Mindanao Regional Development Plan 2023-2028 Toward Human Capital Development
Lecturer: Mylah Faye Aurora B Carino BSE MA, CESO III, Regional Director of the Philippine National Economic Development Authority Region 10 (NEDA R10)
Director Carino presented the recent and current situation of Socio-Economic Situation of Northern Mindanao vis-à-vis the Vision of NEDA, its national and regional imperatives and related strategic prospects, specifically on the matter of Human Capital Development.
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March 8, 2023, Wednesday.
Topic: SYNODAL LEADERSHIP (Video presentation with permission)
Lecturer: Fr David McCallum SJ EdD, Immediate Past Vice President for Mission Integration and Development, Le Moyne College, New York, USA and the current Executive Director of the Leadership Program and Program for Discerning Leadership, a special project of the International Association of Jesuit Universities (IAJU) in collaboration with the Office of Discernment and Apostolic Planning at the Jesuit General Curia
Fr McCallum’s presentation provided the audience with the nature, purposes, process and anecdotes pertaining to Synodal Leadership of the Catholic Church that has bearing on the ways and means of leadership in the Jesuit colleges, schools and universities the world over.
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May 10, 2023, Wednesday.
Topic: HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT: Philippine Basic Education Context
Lecturer: Mr Armando R Codera Jr BSCS MBA PhD (ongoing), President of TechFactors Incorporated Philippines (TFI)
Mr Codera described and argued on the interconnected recent / current situation and implications of the Human Capital Development of the Filipino people beginning from the children of the Philippine public schools that have bearing on their projected success in the future, including their schooling in tertiary level institutions. Among the issues he lectured about, he presented the enrollment loss and its implications in various parts of the Philippines, the possibilities – problems - perspectives of the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly the matter of using Chat GPT, for lessons, researches and collateral academic tasks.
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May 10, 2023, Wednesday.
Topic: DIGITAL ETHICS AND HIGHER EDUCATION (live telecast)
Lecturer: Mr Kevin Henderson BS MPS MA PhD (ongoing) Director of Digital Content and Programming, United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia (New York, Hong Kong)
Mr Henderson lectured on the broad and specific areas of Ethics that relate to the use of technology, AI, Chat GPT – all of these that are currently being used and can be used in Higher Education. He discussed the possibilities, problems and possible positive implications of the use of high technology, especially AI and Chat GPT that can be used with ethical considerations.
The aforementioned four lectures conducted through onsite or face to face and virtual modalities provoked thoughts and related conversations on how Xavier Ateneo can be an educational and moral venue for more innovations, curriculum redesign and entrepreneurship. These lectures continue the tradition of Xavier Ateneo to foster a vibrant intellectual and moral ecosystem that allows students, faculty, administration and support staff to develop related skills to navigate academic and moral dilemmas that are part of the ever-changing future that can be shaped through the Xavier Ateneo way of forming leaders of character who are confident not only of their competence, conscience and commitment, but also, confident in their character in the original Greek concept of “character” – a carved and chiseled imprint that sets persons apart in remarkable distinctions as students, alumni, faculty, administration and support staff that have solid education and do make use of their virtues of integrity, resilience, moral fortitude, practical common sense and an unwavering commitment to excellence.