MOU SIGNING. From left to right: Xavier Ateneo vice-president for academic affairs Fr Rene Tacastacas SJ, Carnegie Mellon University-Australia director Dr Emil P Bolongaita, XU president Fr Roberto C Yap SJ, and Office of International Networking and Cooperation director Elisabeth Enerio. Photo by Alex Belen.
Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan and Carnegie Mellon University in Australia signed a memorandum of understanding on promoting educational collaboration and cultural understanding through the establishment of exchange programs.
The MOU signing transpired on May 15 at the office of XU president Fr Roberto C Yap SJ with CMU-Australia executive director Dr Emil P Bolongaita, in the presence of the XU’s Office of International Networking and Cooperation (OICN) director Elisabeth Enerio and vice-president for academic affairs Fr Rene Tacastacas SJ.
The purpose of the said MOU is to facilitate the exchange of students, scholars, and educational resources between the two universities.
Five programs will be formed under this mutual understanding: (1) Academic Staff Program, (2) Joint Research Program, (3) Cultural Exchange Program, (4) Student Program, and (5) Short Courses Program.
For the Academic Staff Program, each university, by agreement, will accept faculty members and researchers from the other. Suitable arrangements will be made for the exchange of visiting scholars for collaboration in teaching and research.
Both schools aim to seek opportunities to cooperate in research under the Joint Research Program. The details of specific research proposals will be determined by the agreement of faculties of XU and Carnegie Mellon.
Under the Cultural Exchange Program, the home university will send a number of participants to conferences, workshops, symposia, and short visits to the other school. Joint educational programs and joint curriculum development are also encouraged.
The Student Exchange Program will include, but not limited to, short-term faculty-level programs, courses, library access, and academic assistance for students. However, the details will be laid out in a separate agreement.
Lastly, for the Short Courses Program, the two universities will collaborate in the design and delivery of short courses for students, scholars and educational resources upon an agreement, specifically in the fields of information technology, governance, and electronics and communications engineering.
EDUCATION AND RESEARCH. Fr Roberto C Yap SJ expresses his gratitude to Carnegie Mellon University - Australia for the opportunity for the two institutions to pursue their common interest in advancing education and research. Photo by Alex Belen.
Yap expressed his gratitude to Carnegie Mellon University - Australia for this opportunity for the two institutions to pursue their common interest in advancing education and research.
As his response, Bolongaita, who is a Xavier Ateneo High School alumnus and Kagay-anon, gave a Carnegie Mellon University sign pen as a gift.
“The potential first project between our universities is the faculty exchange program,” said Bolongaita, adding that this is the start of their long-term engagement with XU.
This MOU is in force for a period of five years, starting this forthcoming school year. All five programs will be facilitated jointly by Xavier Ateneo’s OICN and Carnegie Mellon’s Strategy and Development Office. ∎