QUT will increase collaboration with universities in the Philippines following a visit to Manila by the university's Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Coaldrake Manila in March.
Professor Coaldrake will sign partnership agreements with nine Philippine universities today (March 4) in a move that will formalize and strengthen ties between QUT and the universities.
A recognized world-class leader in the education sector, the collaborations will have a strong focus on the field of education, particular teacher training, educational leadership, curriculum and research capacity development.
The agreements will also see QUT undertake capacity building activities with the universities in areas of governance, disaster management, trade and industry and organisational development.
The nine Philippine universities to enter into partnerships with QUT are: University of the Philippines, University of the East, University of Santo Tomas, De La Salle University, Philippine Normal University, University of Southeastern Philippines, University of San Carlos, University of Mindanao, and Mindanao State University.
QUT has been the most active university in the Philippines over the past decade and has delivered capacity building and training programs to a wide range of Philippine government agencies including the departments of Trade and Industry, Science and Technology, Budget Management, and Health as well as the National Council on Disability Affairs, and the Metro Manila and Mindanao Development Authorities.
The university has also actively collaborated with the Philippine Department of Education and the Commission for Higher Education to deliver professional development programs for their staff as well as higher education institution staff in support of the Philippines' Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda.
The formal partnerships stem from an earlier public sector linkages program on inclusive education that QUT implemented with the Philippine Department of Education and National Council for Disability Affairs.
Professor Coaldrake said that program had identified universities as critical partners having a key role to play in ensuring that the new generation of teachers had a strong appreciation of 'inclusive teaching and learning'.
The Vice-Chancellor will visit the National Council on Disability Affairs in Manila in recognition of the Council as a partner in promoting inclusive development in the Philippines.
QUT's strong ties with the Philippines is resulting in a new joint program on business process management between QUT's head of Information Systems School, Professor Michael Rosemann and the De la Salle university. This program will be launched on March 13.
Media contacts: Rose Trapnell, QUT media team leader, 07 3138 2361 or 0407 585 901, rose.trapnell@qut.edu.au
