3 February 2020, Calgary – Upon the invitation of the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) in Calgary, officials of the University of Saskatchewan (USask) visited the Philippines in January 2020 to pursue education and technical cooperation with various Philippine agencies and universities.

 

Accompanied by Consul General Zaldy Patron, USask’s Dr. Meghna Ramaswamy, Director of International Research, and Dr. Anurag Saxena, Associate Dean for Post-graduate Medical Education (PGME), met with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). They also had discussions with the University of the Philippines (UP) Office of International Linkages (OIL), UP Los Baños, Kalinga State University (KSU), Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA), Ifugao State University (ISU), and Aklan State University (ASU). The PCG arranged these various meetings.

During this visit, USask and the Philippine agencies and universities identified potential areas of cooperation in agriculture, health, indigenous people, vaccine development, synchrotron technology, among others. The cooperation could involve joint funding and research; visiting professor and student programs; cotutelle program (dual PhD program); training; and hosting of international conferences. They also discussed scholarship program for Filipino post-graduate students in USask.

 

USask, based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, is a member of Canada’s top “U15” research intensive medical and doctoral universities. Its centers of excellence include the Canadian Light Source, Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Organization International Vaccine Center (VIDO–InterVac), Global Institute for Food Security, Global Institute for Water Security, and Sylvia Fedoruk Centre for Nuclear Innovation.  USask has existing partnership with Catanduanes State University.

 “The PCG is optimistic that USask and the Philippine agencies and universities will be able to implement concrete programs and undertake joint activities to widen the cooperation between them,” Consul General Patron said after the conclusion of USask’s series of meetings in the Philippines last 23 January 2020.

 

On 5 September 2019, Consul General Patron visited USask campus in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and met with USask President and Vice Chancellor Dr. Peter Stoicheff to promote education cooperation between the Philippines and USask. END.