BU to offer Brigham Young University-Hawaii Filipino students post-baccalau

To provide an avenue for Filipino Brigham Young University-Hawaii (BYUH) students in completion with the academic requirements set by the Philippine Regulation Commission in taking licensure examinations, a General Bilateral Agreement on International Cooperation was sealed between Bicol University (BU) and BYUH.

This agreement serves as a way for BYUH students to meet the educational qualifications set by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) since they are not able to practice their professional fields in the country without taking the said examination. BU will offer a post-baccalaureate program to BYUH so that their students, particularly in the fields of accounting, education (elementary and secondary), social work, and psychology, can fully prepare and qualify to take the examinations.

Through the International Relations Office (IRO), headed by its director, Dr. Dimson M. Rivero, this partnership will also pave the way to further intensify the strategic internationalization direction of BU.

BYUH officials, led by its President, Dr. John S.K. Kauwe III, invited BU President Arnulfo M. Mascariñas, VP for Academic Affairs Dr. Amelia A. Dorosan, and IRO Director Dr. Rivero to venture a global engagement dubbed "Curriculum Mapping" for the aforementioned programs and signed the GBA for International Cooperation at BYUH from February 13 to 18, 2023.

Under the agreement, BU will offer the BYUH students a credit transfer based on equivalency that will not exceed 25% of the total number of units required for the course, in reference to the BU Student Handbook Reprinted Version 2019. The academic policies, procedures, and programs will also be based on the handbook.

Strengthening international ties

All of their classes will be conducted online, which will facilitate the integration of BYUH students in Philippine academic and professional settings while studying at BU. According to Elise Mitchel, the BYUH Social Media Manager, Filipino BYUH students makes up a large percentage of their international student body, thus this joint initiative will add support and opportunity for Filipino students in pursuing professional careers in the Philippines.

The joint initiative would not be possible without the collaboration with Bro. Antony John Balledos, the Education Support Services Manager, Dr. Isaiah Walker, the BYUH VP for Academics, Dr. Rosalind M. Ram, Associate VP for Academics, Kenneth A. Kalama, Career Service Manager, and Keni Reid, BYUH Chief of Staff.

BU Pres, VPAA, & IRO director goes to Hawaii

On February 14, the BU delegates paid courtesy to Dr. Kauwe, BYUH President, and other officials to discuss the matters in the GBA for International Cooperation and Curriculum Mapping. They were shown around the campus in the afternoon.

The following day, the GBA was officially sealed in the morning, signed by Mascariñas and Kauwe in the presence of Dorosan, Rivero, Walker, and Ram. They also met some of the BYUH Filipino students.

From February 15 to 17, a series of meetings were held to discuss the Curriculum Mapping with the chairpersons of accountancy, education, social work, and psychology.

Although they did not go to BYUH for the GBA signing, part of the BU team in this internationalization engagement were Dr. Lany Maceda, University Registrar; Dr. Hennie Lomibao, Admissions Dean; Dr. Lorna Miña, Dean of the College of Education; Dr. Eddie See, former Dean of the College of Business, Economics, and Management, now VP for Planning and Development; and Atty. Alex Nepomuceno, Dean of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy; along with their program chairpersons: Prof. Alan Lucilo, Chair of the Early and Late Childhood Education department; Prof. Cherry Dycoco, Chair of the Social Work department; Dr. Sipronio Belardo, Chair of Psychology department; Prof. Analiza Pabilona, Chair of the Accountancy department; and Dr. John Mark Mayor, BUCE Associate Dean. (by Arnold C. Noda, MPS I-CPRO)

Photos from Dimson M. Rivero