From the eight Asian university of the Erasmus+-funded GECKO project where XU is one of the partner universities, six faculty members were invited for an observation week in Uppsala University, Sweden, held on May 13-17, 2019. 

Engr Ingrid Yvonne A Madrial of the Industrial Engineering Department - College of Engineering, represented Xavier Ateneo, along with representatives from Ateneo de Manila University, Ubon Ratcathani University (Thailand), Kasetsart University (Thailand), Universitas Gadjah Mada (Indonesia), and Institut Teknologi Bandung (Indonesia).

During the observation week, Uppsala University shared some examples of how they prepare students for global employment and how they operate their internationalization programs. 

Uppsala University is a research university and it ranks among the world's 100 best universities in several high-profile international rankings. 

A two-day visit to the Department of Engineering Sciences was also organized, where they discussed how they teach professional skills and soft skills in their integrated curriculum.  

The participants were also toured around the university’s innovation office and business incubator and they were provided with some inspirational tools for how to promote innovation and strengthen university-industry relations.

The GECKO participants had an opportunity to network and exchange experiences and best practices with participants of other capacity building projects of Uppsala University, namely the Erasmus+ International Staff Training Week and the Erasmus+ CBHE project EASTEM (Euro-Asian Collaboration for Enhancing STEM Education.)  

Engr Madrial presentd the XU-GECKO Project and its progress in a meeting attended by the ambassadors of Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippine Trade & Investments Promotion Officer for the Nordic Countries.∎

Participants of GECKO Observation Week at Uppsala University, Sweden

Meeting with staff during the Erasmus+ International Staff Training Week and the Erasmus+ CBHE project EASTEM (Euro-Asian Collaboration for Enhancing STEM Education)

Presentation of GECKO project by Engr Madrial during the Erasmus+ International Staff Training Week and the Erasmus+ CBHE project EASTEM (Euro-Asian Collaboration for Enhancing STEM Education)

Tour at the Ångström Laboratory of Uppsala University