The Cluster of the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) in Project FORTH attended the European Union’s program Erasmus Plus culmination activity, alongside four (4) other selected Philippine Higher Education Institutions project clusters, at Groningen in The Netherlands, Bologna in Italy, and Bilbao in Spain, on October 31 to November 7, 2022.
The face-to-face gathering allowed the project constituents to discuss framing the curriculum for Teaching in Challenged Areas, particularly that the USeP is determined to integrate the competencies in the Masters in Education programs.
Furthermore, the cluster institutions presented contextualized modules supporting the project, exemplifying how the program graduates are projected to serve as teachers and respond to the identified needs in the challenged areas.
Project FORTH, the Formation of Teachers in Challenged Areas in the Philippines, is a European Commission-funded program primarily designed to address the teachers’ need for training in engaging with the challenged areas in the country.
USeP toured with Centro Escolar University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, University of Saint La Salle, and West Visayas State University, as selected cluster institutions by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
The clusters called to visit the partner universities, namely, the University of Groningen, the University of Bologna, and the University of Bilbao in The Netherlands, Italy, and Spain, respectively, for open discussions and share experiences to incorporate into the curriculum, including the best practices of action research as an outcome of the project.
Representing the University, Dr. Lourdes C. Generalao led USeP in this international academic enterprise, together with Dr. Bonifacio G. Gabales, Jr., the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA). Moreover, the University sent faculty members from the College of Education (CEd), College Dean Dr. Reynaldo M. Nogodula, Assoc. Prof. Marivic N. Neri, Dr. Jennifer M. Arbiol, and Ms. Richel F. Hernandez to join the educational tour. Added also to this pool of specialists were Asst. Prof. Jose G. Tan, Jr. of the College of Teacher Education and Technology (CTET) and Dr. Adora P. Zerrudo, the Deputy Director of the Teacher Training and Resource Center (TTRC).
The delegates finally joined the meeting on Transnational Management Meeting, on November 4, in Brussels, Belgium. They ended the tour by meeting with the FORTH members on November 5, before they were set to depart EU on the following day.
