The University of the Philippines (UP) Office of International Linkages (OIL) Diliman held its UP Diliman Study Abroad Fair, February 21-24, to “promote study abroad and internationalization-related opportunities to students, faculty members, researchers, staff, alumni, and the general public.”
This year marks the return of the fair after a three-year pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Interested stakeholders flocked to the four-day fair at the UP School of Statistics to visit booths of exhibitors and listen to information sessions conducted by institutional partners such as Fulbright Philippines, German Academic Exchange Service, Hokkaido University, National University of Singapore, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, and the Embassies of Hungary, Denmark, Spain, Poland, Japan, and Australia.
“Ito pong UP Diliman Study Abroad Fair, para po ito sa estudyante undergrad or graduate, faculty, administrative staff, [and] researchers po ng University who want to explore studying abroad with our partner universities,” UP OIL Diliman Student Mobility Section Head Aura Fe Kulia Carbonilla told DZUP.
Carbonilla explained the program encourages applicants to bring back new knowledge and best practices when they return home.
“Honor and excellence beyond the archipelago. So, they still have to instill in them iyong UP [motto] natin. Tapos, pagbalik nila dito mas marami na silang experience. Mas alam na nila kung paano makakapag-serve sa bansa natin as, of course, iskolar ng bayan,” she said.
The Philippines’ Diwata satellite, an ongoing collaboration with partners Hokkaido University and Tokyo University with UP faculty and researchers, is a concrete example of how international linkages contribute to nation-building, Carbonilla said.
“Siyempre, ‘pag nag-further studies po ang mga faculty and staff natin, they gain more experience… pagbalik nila… they can continue growing the relationship and maybe further collaborate with future researches.”
UP Diliman’s first Study Abroad Fair happened in 2019.