Key officials of the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture headed North last February 28 to March 4, 2022, to benchmark the best practices in internationalization, research and extension, graduate school, and curriculum.
The team is composed of Dr. Alberto Naperi, University President; Dr. Ana Mirana, VP for Academic Affairs; Prof. Cesar Armando Camba, VP for Business and External Affairs; Dr. Claribelle Haber, Dean of Graduate School; Dr. Raquel Reapor, Dean of College of Development Education, Dr. Cherry Love Montales, QS Star Rating Co-Chair, Prof. Vergel Mirana, Director of Curricular Reforms and Development, Dr. Aries Ativo, Director of Research, Dr. Grace Negrete, Dean of College of Education of CBSUA-Sipocot, and Mr. Jerome Hipolito, Chair, Bachelor of Secondary Education of CBSUA-Calabanga.
In a message, Dr. Naperi claimed that “gone are the days when SUCs only think of themselves, now, the game plan is to collaborate with other SUCs to initiate programs beneficial to all parties.” CBSUA signed MOU with PNU, BASC, TAU, and BSU and benchmarked with PSAU and TSU.
Before heading North, the team dropped by NCR and had a lunch date with the key officials of the Philippine Normal University, Dr. Bert Tuga, University President Dr. Lordinio Vergara, VP for University Relations and Advancement, and Dr. Janir Datukan, BOR Secretary.
The group discussed the content of the MOU signed by President Naperi and President Tuga virtually last February 3, 2022, via Zoom. Among the things discussed is the first cohort in taking Ph.D. by Research of CBSUA faculty members under institutional scholarship. Moreover, the group also explored designing a Double Logo Program.
CBSUA ties with BASC
Dr. Albert Naperi, University President, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Dr. Jameson Tan, President of Bulacan Agricultural State College (BASC), for institutional cooperation last March 1, 2022, at Farmers Hall, BASC-San Ildefonso Campus. The said institutional cooperation would explore students and faculty mobility programs.
The team benchmarked on the possible offering of Geodetic Engineering at CBSUA. The university is also open to inviting faculty from BASC as adjunct faculty in selected courses. Among the highlights is the visit to the Rabbit Research and Development Center, which handles rabbit meat research and production.
CBSUA visits PSAU
Pampanga State Agricultural University organized a short program to share their best practices on research, extension, flexible learning, and Quality Assurance last March 1, 2021, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Aside from the vibrant research culture of the faculty, among their best practice is how the university transformed the informal settlers in their campus from being illegal loggers to becoming coffee farmers through their award-winning extension program, Coffee-Based Agroforestry: PSAU’s Model to Promote Sustainable Co-Management of Forest Land with Informal Settlers.
Dr. Anita David, OIC Office of the President, welcomed the team warmly. Among the best practices of PSAU worth emulating is how senior researchers mentor younger faculty members to do research. They would work collaboratively in a research program until its publication. Moreover, Research In-house review is cascaded to the college level, where they screened the faculty research proposals.
CBSUA forges Partnership with TAU
After initial partnership initiatives between the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture and the Tarlac Agricultural University like iLab, an innovation laboratory for Global Education and Digital Citizenship as a component of the Smart University Program funded by the Commission on Higher Education, they officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding to foster partnership in Education, Research, Extension, and Technology Transfer last March 2, 2022. The universities were represented by their respective university presidents, Dr. Alberto Naperi for CBSUA and Dr. Max Guillermo for TAU
As part of the Benchmarking, Dr. Christine Ferrer, the Director for External Linkages and International Affair, shared TAU’s best practices for THE Impact Ranking. TAU is the only SUC ranked by THE Impact Ranking in 2021.
Aside from THE Impact Ranking, TAU is also a 3-Stars rated university by QS, ranked 261 by UI Green Metric World University Rankings, and ranked 101-200 by WURI in 2021. According to Dr. Ferrer, among the university’s initiatives is to develop the culture of accreditation into the faculty. She said that the university created a strategic Internationalization Program which involves forming a task force committee per accreditation which involves the key officials of offices that address the Sustainable Development Goals, ensures membership of the University to different network institutions, and integrates into the university plan the standards in QS and other international standards.
CBSUA visits TSU
Tarlac State University shared its secrets on attaining Institutional Accreditation Level 4 in AACCUP. Among TSU’s best practices is having lecturers who complement the numbers of the permanent faculty. Their salary is based on their educational attainment. TSU is open for institutional cooperation that will involve student and faculty mobility.
Among the highlights of the visit is the campus tour. CBSUA team was able to visit the university hotel and university lagoon, which will provide a post-pandemic outdoor recreational space for students, faculty, personnel, and tourists.
CBSUA, BSU sign MOU Establishing Institutional Collaboration
The Central Bicol State University of Agriculture and Benguet State University signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish institutional collaboration last March 3, 2022, held at the BSU Board Room.
In his message, Dr. Naperi expressed his request for BSU to share their best production and research centers practices. The request was addressed through a simultaneous benchmark of the best practices of BSU in internationalization, research and extension, climate smart-agriculture, quality assurance, graduate school, teacher education, and curriculum. The team visits the research and development centers of the university. On teacher education, collaborative activities on pre-service teachers exchange and faculty exchange were discussed.
