A total of 52 delegates from Philippine higher education institutions joined the cross-visit to Singapore and Indonesia.
The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) conducted cross-visits to local and global institutions in Singapore and Indonesia for 52 faculty and staff of Philippine higher education institutions (HEIs).
The first batch of the cross-visit was held in Singapore on 13–17 November 2023 with 23 delegates from 14 HEIs. On the other hand, 29 delegates from 18 universities joined the cross-visit to Indonesia held from 27 November 2023 to 1 December 2023.
The week-long cross-visits aimed to equip participants with enhanced knowledge, skills, and attitudes on R&D, as well as leadership and management, within the context of global challenges to HEIs. It was also designed for the delegates to gain insights from the best practices of model universities in terms of governance structure and quality assurance systems.
"Cross-visits to local and global organizations allow the host institutions and visitors to learn different perspectives and facilitate networking," said Dr. Nova Ramos, head of SEARCA's Training for Development Unit under the Education and Collective Learning Department (ECLD-T4DU). "It is also a venue to explore possible partnerships on areas of common interest to them, particularly in the areas of research and development initiatives," she added.
Learning tours with the institutions
The delegates in the Singapore cross-visit engaged with officials and experts from four institutions: The Head Foundation (THF); Singapore Management University (SMU); Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS); and Republic Polytechnic (RP).
Meanwhile, the cross-visit to Indonesia featured the Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB), Politeknik Pembangunan Pertanian-Polbangtan Bogor, and the SEAMEO Regional Center for Tropical Biology (BIOTROP).
Representatives from these leading institutions in Singapore and Indonesia briefed the delegates on their innovative academic programs, capacity-building initiatives, administrative structures, and quality assurance frameworks. Resource persons also provided the delegates with a campus tour, particularly within their state-of-the-art facilities for research and development.
The delegates also engaged in knowledge exchanges and explored potential linkages with key officials and staff of the different institutions. They benchmarked on research program management, funding mechanisms, curriculum development, and commercialization of agricultural technologies that they can adapt to their context in the Philippines.
Representatives from the leading institutions in Singapore and Indonesia provided lectures and campus tours for the delegates of the cross-visits.
Integration workshops for insights, ways forward
SEARCA representatives from ECLD-T4DU led the two delegations and facilitated an integration workshop towards the end of the cross-visits.
In the workshop, the delegates noted the advanced status of higher education in Singapore, particularly the innovations the country employed in curriculum design and linkage with the industry. They cited Singapore's strong government support in funding with an enabling policy environment while maintaining autonomy in several aspects of institutional and educational management.
Meanwhile, in Indonesia, the delegates were inspired by the strong collaboration between HEIs and their alumni by providing an innovative platform to give back through community-based projects. Another key insight from the visit was the start-up culture and how technologies from the university are upscaled through commercialization partnerships with the private sector.
In the said workshop, the delegates presented their plans on key areas for implementation in their respective universities. They highlighted their action points on how to integrate an "innovation" culture in curriculum design, governance, and partnerships with the industry. Their presentations emphasized the need to build stronger alumni relations and forge international linkages.
The cross-visits were part of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED)-funded project, "Leveling-Up Philippine Higher Education Institutions in Agriculture, Fisheries, and Natural Resources" (LevelUPHEI AFAR) implemented by SEARCA. The project aimed to upgrade the institutional capacities of the State Universities and Colleges-Association of College of Agriculture in the Philippines, Inc. (SUC-ACAP, Inc.) and its 75 members through capacity-building and mobility programs.
SEARCA's Training for Development Unit facilitated an integration workshop for the delegates to reflect on their key insights and action points from the cross-visit.