PH, Japanese Universities Ink Research Pact

The Catanduanes State University (CSU) and The Kochi University of Japan signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on June 3, 2019 for a “collaborative tie-up” between the two institutions.

The CSU and Kochi University agreed to collaborate with each other in terms of exchange of faculty, students, researchers and other administrative staff, information materials and other academic mutual aid necessary to support internationalization initiatives.

The MOA entitles the CSU and Kochi University to not more than three exchange students for one academic year of studies, on condition that “each institution shall accept the exchange students as non-regular students who do not aim at obtaining a degree from the host institution.”

Under the MOA, exchange students “shall not pay examination fees, matriculation fees or tuition to their host institution.”

Morales said the agreement would also strengthen the internalization initiatives of the university as she reported that presently, the CSU has a faculty member, Prof. Kristian Aldea, who is pursuing his Ph.D. in Marine Science specifically on Benthic Ecology at the Kochi University.

The agreement was signed by Dr. Satoshi Kubota of Kochi University and CSU President Dr. Minerva I. Morales, with officials in the teaching and non-teaching department of CSU witnessing the event.

Also present were the personnel of the Research and Production Affairs Office headed by Dr. Lily P. Custodio, and Research and Development Services Director Dr. Jimmy T. Masagca.

In February 21, 2019, Kubota made a prior visit to the CSU for an orientation during the formal staging of the partnership. (PIA5/Catanduanes)