PR-28-2024
21-25 October 2024, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – The Philippine Consulate General in Melbourne supported a high-level delegation led by Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson Dr. J. Prospero E. De Vera III, along with representatives from 11 Philippine higher education institutions (HEIs), on a productive mission to Melbourne. The visit included strategic university engagements and participation in the Australian International Education Conference (AIEC) and the Asia-Pacific Business Council (APBC) Forum, with the goal of strengthening cooperation and exploring new educational partnerships with Australian institutions in fields like medicine, nursing, allied health sciences, and other key sectors.
The AIEC, held on October 21-25, served as the mission’s central event. This conference brought together education leaders from across the Asia-Pacific to discuss innovations in international education, student mobility, and cross-border collaboration. According to Ambassador Ma. Hellen De La Vega during the courtesy call by the CHED delegation at the Consulate, the visit is a return gesture to the Southeast Asia Business Exchange to the Philippines in May wherein a delegation of over 20 Australian universities and institutes took active participation.
Consul General Maria Lourdes M. Salcedo welcomed the delegates at the courtesy call on Philippine Ambassador to Australia Ma. Hellen B. Dela Vega at the Philippine Consulate General. The delegation proceeded with visits to Swinburne University and Chisholm Institute, where they engaged in discussions with Australian counterparts on potential partnerships and innovative educational frameworks. Swinburne University led by its Pro-Chancellor for Global Engagement Douglas Proctor and Ma. Teresita Medado, President of the Asia Pacific College, signed an agreement to formalize exchanges of information, students and faculty members.
On October 22, the delegation participated in the APBC Forum on Expanding Partnerships in Education and Skills at the La Trobe University City Campus. This was organized by the APBC-Victoria with its President Rafael Toda in attendance and a number of representatives from Australian universities from across other states and territories.
Chairperson De Vera also met with the Hon. Gayle Tierney, Victoria’s Minister for Higher Education and Minister for Skills and TAFE, to further the Philippines-Australia education agenda, emphasizing collaboration in education and skills training as part of the Philippines-Australia Strategic Partnership.
On 24 October, Dr. Michael Tee, Chancellor of University of the Philippines- Manila visited the Monash University in Clayton along with Prof. Racquel Fortun to discuss global partnerships with Monash officials led by Prof. Craig Jeffrey, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) and Senior Vice-President. There were interesting discussions around medical research, particularly on forensic science. Towards the end of the meeting, the two sides signed an MOU on collaborative research and exchange of academic studies and experts. It was noted that the MOU has the imprimatur of the Philippine top officials, notably the Executive Secretary and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, who count on the Australian side to help build an Institute of Forensic Science that can strengthen the human rights dimension of the Philippine judiciary.
Chairperson De Vera also met with Mr. Simon Puckett, Assistant Secretary of the Security and Resilience Branch, Department of Education, to identify priorities in higher education and training and the reforms taking shape in both the Philippines and Australia. The Philippine delegates also visited the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) Deakin University and Victoria University towards the end of the mission.
The Philippine Consulate General in Melbourne is committed to strengthening the Philippines’ higher education capabilities by supporting Philippine HEIs in building partnerships with Australian institutions, with the goal of fostering national development and growth in the Philippines’ education sector. END
