US, PH universities forge partnerships anew

The representatives from Philippines and United States (U.S.) universities met for a virtual partnerships fair hosted by EducationUSA and the Commission on Higher Education International Affairs Staff (CHED-IAS). At the event, university presidents and senior officials from 68 Philippine schools and 45 U.S. institutions heard from the U.S. Embassy and CHED on the importance of creating and expanding partnerships that sustain international educational exchange. “There is no greater way to strengthen the ties between two countries than through expanding educational linkages, and creating these enduring ties between our countries is as important as ever,“ said U.S. Embassy Cultural Affairs Officer Matt Keener as he welcomed the participants after Atty. Lily Freida M. Milla, director of CHED-IAS, gave her opening remarks. The U.S. universities also hosted individual

breakout rooms to meet with Philippine universities interested in exploring new partnership opportunities, including student exchanges, visiting scholars, collaborative research programs, and lecture series. The virtual fair was the sixth event under the “Pathways to Opportunity: EdUSACHED Speaker Series on Internationalization” meant to build the international capacity of Philippine universities and expand linkages between U.S. and Philippine institutions. The speaker series is also one of the primary outputs of the U.S.-Philippine Joint Statement on Higher Education Cooperation signed during the 2019 U.S.-Philippine Bilateral Strategic Dialogue. Along with promoting internationalization in higher education, Education USA provides free advising services to prospective international students in more than 170 countries and offers students resources and tools to help navigate the five steps to U.S. study: researching schools, identifying financial aid opportunities, completing applications, obtaining a student visa, and preparing for departure. There are more than 4,700 accredited higher education institutions in the United States, and an EducationUSA adviser can help students narrow their options, define their priorities, and plan their college careers. EducationUSA does not offer scholarships but can assist students in identifying scholarship and financial assistance opportunities. You can find more information about EducationUSA on Facebook at www. facebook.com/ educationusa.philippines and on Twitter at @ EducationUSA_PH. (Unites States Embassy in the Philippines/PIA-Caraga)