CHED ties up with Canadian bureau to facilitate programs for higher education

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Canadian Bureau of International Education (CBIE) have formalized their partnership for the implementation of education programs in Canada that will promote greater capacity-building, education and research collaboration.

CHED Chairperson Patricia Licuanan said the collaboration will facilitate mobility programs for Higher Education Institution (HEI) faculty and staff to pursue graduate degrees, and offer training programs on institutional internationalization, second career education, and community college best practices.

“We remain committed to forging new partnerships with the goal of granting scholarships and capacity-building opportunities to our college faculty and staff,” Licuanan said. “We look forward to strengthening their academic qualifications and enhancing their teaching through mobility and training programs in collaboration with Canadian universities,” she added.

The CBIE is known for having linkages to 150 academic institutions and has supported, designed, and implemented over 100 international projects in 60 countries. It has helped over 30,000 students from the 60 countries to gain admission to Canada’s education system at all levels since 1966.

Licuanan said that qualified HEI faculty and staff will be awarded scholarships to earn their Masteral and doctorate degrees in preparation for future academic positions, educational leadership, research and policy formulation, and teacher training in the Philippines.

“Aside from graduate scholarships, faculty and staff could also apply for training programs on institutional internationalization of HEIs,” Licuanan said. “The program will provide assistance in the development of implementation strategies, partnership-building curriculum development, research opportunities, and funding mechanisms,” she added.

Licuanan noted that faculty and staff may also choose to be trained on second career program or adult education, which focuses on the strategies and methods geared towards meeting the specific needs and abilities of adult learners. “Participants will explore the principles of pedagogy, curriculum development, and assessment and evaluation techniques relating to mature students,” she explained.

Another training program will highlight Canadian best practices in community colleges at both the Ministry and institutional level. “Participants will be exposed to educational programs for skills development, applied research, industry and community partnerships, and governance and leadership strategies at the community college level to support the development of an overarching framework for community colleges in the Filipino context,” Licuanan said.

Licuanan also expressed CHED’s gratitude to the Canadian Embassy and the CBIE “for all the hard work that went into transforming our aspirations into reality, which we in CHED are equally committed to seeing through during this K to 12 Transition.” She also extended gratitude to the HEIs who responded to the call of CHED to take part in these pioneer initiatives.