In its continuous efforts to rally the graduate students of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University to be abreast of paradigm shifts that will shape the landscape of graduate and post-graduate education in 21st century Philippines and the world, the Graduate Schools Academic Organization (GSAO) recently hosted a forum dubbed as “AdZU Graduate Schools: Responding to the Challenges and Opportunities of ASEAN 2015” on March 08 at the Campion Lecture Hall, this university.
Asked for a statement, GSAO president Mr. James B. Delos Reyes emphasized that more than the purpose of serving as a fitting culmination of the current school year, the event was to serve as a venue to imbue awareness and understanding of the challenges and opportunities posed by the goal of regional economic integration in 2015 –the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Economic Community (AEC).
The morning plenary saw Dean Maynard Bagtasos of the School of Management and Accountancy deliver an introduction on ASEAN 2015, highlighting its implications on the national and regional economy and its consequences on the education and competency-building of the Philippine labor force. Drawing from what he discussed, School of Arts and Sciences-Social Sciences Department Chair Ms. Ma. Cristina Cañones came up next and explained the rationale behind the Philippine Qualifications Framework vis-à-vis the Asian Qualifications Framework and its European antecedent. She further expounded on how current strides in the Philippine Educational System make sense in the greater context of the aforementioned models.
Prof. Anita Tagadiad, coordinator of Education Leadership and Development Program of the Social Development Council of this university then gave the audience a briefer on what she observed during her exposure tour in Australia. She also identified Australian practices that were feasible in the AdZU setting.
Serving as the forum moderator was Mr. Espiridion Atilano, Jr. chair of the Social Studies Department of the high school unit of this university.
The events were capped by Ms. Liza Garrido, Graduate Programs Coordinator of the School of Education, when she provided the assembly with her insights and reflections on the subject.
In the afternoon, the participants were grouped according to their programs for the conduct of the action-planning.
The GSAO hopes to host similar activities in the future, as the organization endeavors to be more relevant to the concerns of the graduate students of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University.
James Delos Reyes, GSAO president briefs the audience on what to expect from the event.
Dean Maynard Bagtasos opens the forum with an introduction of ASEAN as an economic community.
Ms. Ma. Cristina Cañones gestures while explaining the Philippine Qualifications Framework.
