International partnerships have become a global trend between and among educational institutions. It is beneficial for all those involved in academic collaborations like those of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. These partnerships help student recruitment by offering students the opportunity to travel internationally via exchange programs and vice-versa for students in partner-universities. It has enabled the University’s faculty members and students to better understand the culture of other nations which could potentially market them for better job opportunities in the future.

The PUP Office of International Affairs

The PUP Office of International Affairs is engaged in a wide variety of programs and activities aligned with the vision of President Manuel M. Muhi towards establishment of PUP as an Epistemic Community.

Thus, the Office for International Affairs provides leadership and coordination for all University-wide international activities for coherence and integration of the institutional international linkages, cooperation, exchanges, programs and services:

The University is affiliated with three (3) distinguished Institutional organizations such as Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning (ASAIHL), Association of Universities in Asia and the Pacific (AUAP), and International Association of University Presidents (IAUP).

The Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning (ASAIHL) was founded in 1956 as a non-governmental organization at a meeting in Bangkok of the heads of eight state universities in Southeast Asia. Field Marshal Pibulsongkram, the Prime Minister, supported its foundation and approved setting up the Secretariat in Thailand. His government began by giving financial and material support, which continued for several years until the Association had other sources of funds. More recently, in addition to physical facilities, the Thai government has been supporting the Association with a grant of US$ 5,000 annually.

Meanwhile, AUAP will assist the university to build important relationships in the Asia-Pacific region as well as internationally, and will provide its vast knowledge repository and outreach to greatly enhance the reach and reputation of your institution. In addition, AUAP has developed exchanges and industry immersion programs, international competitions and cultural exchanges like sports activities that greatly enhance the students’ international exposure and experiences. This in turn, increases their employability prospects in the future.

The International Association of University Presidents is a unique worldwide platform that facilitates the exchange of professional experience to strengthen the international mission and quality of education in an increasingly interdependent world, promoting global awareness and competence as well as peace and international understanding through education.

The university’s effort to empower partnerships and linkages across the world resulted to an increase in the number of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to partner institutions. The university forged 25 MOUs and 10 MOAs in 2021, a drastic increase from five MOU and no new MOA in 2017.