Intensifying internalization and students mobility, the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture participated in the North Intensive Program (NIP) 2020 held at Howest University, Kortrijk, Belgium on 4-21 February 2020.
Six students namely Niña B. Pletado and Irene Arevalo from Pili Campus, Bonggie F. Bongapat from Pasacao Campus, Ralph Chito B. Romero and Gerald C. Pasa from Calabanga Campus, and Bernabe A. Mangilin from Sipocot Campus along with the Vice President of External and International Linkages (VPEIL), Prof. Cesar Armando Camba, Sr. and University Environmental Management Office Director, Dr. Aries O. Ativo participated in the intensive program. Other participants in the said program were the Nueva Vizcaya State University, Isabela State University, Saint Mary’s University, and two Belgian HEIs, the Howest University of Applied Sciences and VIVES University of Applied sciences.
The students from the Philippines joined other nationalities to come up with recommendations or solutions to the problems as presented in the cases. Also, the students were exposed to agricultural areas both traditional and modern farming. The Intensive Program runs for four years and is funded by the Province of West Flanders, Belgium. It is done alternately in the Philippines (South Intensive Program or SIP), and in Belgium (North Intensive Program or NIP). The first SIP was held last 2019 at St. Mary’s University (SMU) in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya and Isabela State University (ISU) in Echague, Isabela. The 2021 SIP will be held again in the Philippines, CBSUA as part of the intensive program will host the South Intensive Program in February 2021. The University shall prepare for the said event including the development of cases to be presented to the Coordinators of VIVES when they visit the University in September 2020.