Tarlac, Philippines. On the forefront of comparative data that highlights the relative strengths to be classified as a world-class university is its inclusion in the list of world ranked or ‘starred’ institutions.
Anchored on this premise, the Tarlac Agricultural University (TAU) is strategically committed to advance its portfolio of global partnerships through the development of sustainable and mutually beneficial alliances with academic institutions, government agencies and private industries that share common aims and interests. These alliances bring many benefits to staff and students alike, and extend and enhance the University’s international reach and reputation. TAU’s Office of External Linkages and International Affairs (ELIA), as the institution’s frontline arm of the University and its window to the world of international cooperation, works conscientiously to expand horizons on partnership development, increase its consortia or organizational memberships, and advance its internationalization and global engagement.
To chart its pathway for academic reputation and visibility, TAU has developed its Strategic Internationalization Plan (SIP) which serves as a guide and toolkit to assist the academic and research community in the development, scrutiny and management of collaborative activities with existing and prospective partners as the University endeavors to expand its internationalization engagement in conceptualizing innovative programs intended to sustain and strengthen its existing linkages and establish a global representative network in carving its name in the international academic map.
Driven to instigate the vision to become one of the Top 500 universities in Asia, the University aggressively takes bold imperative initiatives to develop a resilient internationalization engagement, to build relevant opportunities for faculty and students towards cross border mobility and internationalization of higher education, and to redesign the institution’s capability in escalating memberships in alliances and networks.
The University SIP advances three (3) dimensions which endeavor to capitalize (1) Internationalization Engagement to enhance TAU’s international reputation and visibility, (2) Learning and Discovery by building exceptional cross-border mobility opportunities for faculty, staff and students and (3) Innovation, Collaboration and Resource Generation to strengthen institutional development and maximize investment on university internationalization initiatives.
Most significantly, the University also envisions to serve as a meaningful international resource for the local community by creating awareness on globalization/internationalization, ASEAN integration, culture and language of other countries, by inciting interest and appreciation of the language and culture of other nations, and by developing competent glocal graduates in addressing the current demands of the world labor market through an internationalized and industry-based curriculum.
Represented by its University President Dr. Max P. Guillermo and Director for External Linkages and International Affairs Dr. Christine N. Ferrer, TAU has also signified its commitment to support the internationalization of Philippine higher education. TAU is privileged to be among the 15 selected public and private higher education institutions (HEIs) in the Philippines that benefited in the capacity building program, “The Internationalization of Higher Education in the Philippines: A Strategic Training Program,” organized and sponsored by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in partnership with the Canadian Bureau of International Education (CBIE), which took place in Canada and in the Philippines.
As an offshoot of this training, Dr. Ferrer is also tapped by the Commission on Higher Education – International Affairs Staff (CHED IAS) in mentoring other Philippine higher education institutions to establish their internationalization programs and to integratie the Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals) to promote global citizenship education.