TO PURSUE academic and research exchange programs, the Mariano Marcos State University partnered with the University of Saskatchewan in Canada.

MMSU President Shirley Agrupis and USask Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Melissa Just agreed to jointly work on academic exchange, research projects, extension activities and development reforms under the Memorandum of Understating signed by the two institutions.

“The partnership is in line with the Philippine-Canada Universities Education Consortium for International Collaborative Partnerships, an academic and research collaboration of seven Philippine universities, including MMSU, and Canada’s USask,” MMSU said.

Under the MOU, the two universities will conduct joint conferences and publications, share academic materials and technical expertise and explore short-course training programs, joint research projects, student and faculty exchanges particularly “on aspects of indigenous knowledge, culture education, health care management systems, agriculture, fisheries, and environment natural resource management practices.”

“An offshoot research of this partnership is being undertaken by a team of MMSU researchers who study on Sustaining the Ilocano Culture through Contextualization of Indigenous Knowledge System and Development of Culture-Sensitive and Science-based Education Platform. It is under the research program that aims to intensify Filipino culture towards sustaining indigenous knowledge systems,” MMSU said.

MMSU and USask will also hold capacity building programs on health, medical and applied sciences, agriculture, climate change and sustainable development, sports and recreational management, education, food system and nutrition, humanities, culture, arts, social sciences, and business management.

Dr. Marlowe Aquino, project leader and MMSU international programs chief, said the university will engage with technical partners in USask and other Magic 7 partners for a meaningful exchange of expertise, practices, particularly on cultural documentation.

USask international office director Dr. Meghna Ramaswamy expressed delight in working with MMSU.