DAET, Camarines Norte – An International Conference on Research and Extension (ICONRE 2018) will be convened by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture and Camarines Norte State College (CNSC) at the latter's main campus here.
Dr. Rusty Abanto, CNSC President and SEARCA scholarship alumnus, said "ICONRE 2018 aims to provide a venue for stakeholders to converge and present research results that have contributed and led to the advancement of knowledge discovery and innovations in research, development, and extension (RD&E)."
The theme of this year's conference is "Creating Pathways for Collaboration for a Progressive and Sustainable Research and Extension Productivity."
ICONRE 2018 is expected to be an assembly of policymakers, faculty researchers, extension practitioners, school administrators, and students of higher education institutions from all over Southeast Asia.
It will be keynoted by Dr. Shaufique F. Sidique, Director of the Institute of Agriculture and Food Policy Studies of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and recipient of the SEARCA Professorial Chair in 2017.
One of the plenary speakers is Dr. Quyen Dinh Ha of the Faculty of Economics and Rural Development of the Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA) and also a SEARCA alumnus.
Other SEARCA alumni and scholars who will present papers at the conference include Dr. Daud Samsudewa of Diponegoro University, Indonesia; Mr. Krisdakorn Wongwai of Udon Thani Rajabhat University, Thailand; Mr. Divo Dharma Silalahi of SMART Research Institute, Indonesia; and Mr. Charlie B. Batin of Mariano Marcos State University, Philippines.
Speakers from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) are also expected to share their experiences, best practices, and success stories pertinent to RD&E.
Philippine government-hosted SEARCA is mandated to promote inclusive and sustainable agricultural and rural development through its core programs on graduate education and institutional development, research and development, and knowledge management. Many of its master's and PhD scholars have gone on to hold leadership positions in government, academe, civil society organizations, and the private sector in their respective countries.