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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL - CALGARY
Suite 100, 1001 1st St SE Calgary, AB, T2G 5G3

PCG CALGARY AND UCALGARY TO EXPLORE SMART CITY DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP, TWINNING PROGRAM

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20 September, Calgary – The Philippine Consulate General in Calgary and the University of Calgary (UCalgary) have agreed to explore cooperation in the areas of smart city development and university twinning program.

 

During their meeting on 14 September 2018, UCalgary President Dr. Elizabeth Cannon welcomed the proposal of Consul General Gilberto Asuque for UCalgary to consider partnering with Philippine universities for some of its programs.  Dr. Cannon said that the proposal is very much aligned with UCalgary’s thrust to enhance its collaborative links internationally. She shared that UCalgary even has a dual degree program that allows its students to study for two years abroad and two years in UCalgary.

Founded in 1966, UCalgary has 14 faculties offering more than 250 academic programs, and more than 50 research institutes and centers.  It is the No. 7 university in Canada and belongs to the Top 200 universities in the world. 

UCalgary also expressed keen interest on the Philippine Consulate General’s offer to link UCalgary with Philippine institutions involved in ASEAN Smart City Network (ASCN), a new mode of cooperation being pursued by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The Philippines co-founded ASEAN in 1967 and Canada is one of the Dialogue Partners of ASEAN.

UCalgary and the City of Calgary are part of the Urban Alliance, a research partnership created in 2007 to encourage and coordinate the seamless transfer of cutting-edge research between UCalgary and the City. One of the aims of the Urban Alliance is to find excellent solutions to complex problems facing the City of Calgary and fostering world class research and innovation.

Dr. Cannon gave Consul General Asuque a copy of a research strategy paper on Human Dynamics in a Changing World: Smart and Secure Cities, Societies and Culture that UCalgary published in December 2015. The paper discusses the experience and vision of the City of Calgary and UCalgary concerning smart city and it can provide lessons for the implementation of the ASCN, especially for the three Philippine cities of Manila, Cebu and Davao that are part of the ASCN.

Joining Consul General Asuque and Dr. Cannon in the meeting were Deputy Consul General Zaldy Patron and UCalgary’s Dr. Janaka Ruwanpura (Vice-Provost, International), Ms. Uli Ng (Regional Manager, Asia Pacific), and Mr. Scott Vu (Partnerships Officer, Asia Pacific).