Ateneo Hosts Meeting on International Relations
Ateneo de Manila University president Jose Ramon T. Villarin, SJ presents the sculpture "Bayanihan" to AUN Executive Director Dr. Choltis Dhirathiti. The marble and metal sculpture depicts the Filipino custom of communal unity.
Representatives from ASEAN University Network (AUN) member schools and universities from Japan, Korea, and China met in Manila, Philippines on November 13-14, 2017. Hosted by the AUN, Ateneo de Manila University, and the Commission on Higher Education, the 7th ASEAN + 3 Heads of International Relations Meeting served as a platform to discuss common concerns and share good practices on the management of international student exchange activities in the context of crisis situations.
Attended by 81 participants from 42 universities—mostly vice presidents and directors of International Relations from ASEAN + 3 universities, the meeting worked on the theme “Managing Student Exchange Activities: A Manual on Safety and Risk.”
“All of us here share the conviction that the safety of our exchange students—both inbound and outbound—is of paramount importance. Risk is something inherent. We must do what we can to minimize the risk that our young people are exposed to,” said Ateneo de Manila University president Jose Ramon T. Villarin, SJ in his opening remarks.
Dr. Choltis Dhirathiti, Executive Director of the ASEAN University Network (AUN) agreed, adding that “studying abroad is an investment so I hope that we can collectively come up with recommendations to address student concerns.”
The group addressed the rapid growth of international student mobility and security issues arising from it. The participants shared existing frameworks and suggested appropriate responses to crises and to ensure the safety, health, and environment of international students.
Participants of the 2-day meeting are vice presidents and directors of International Relations units from ASEAN universities.
At the end of the 2-day meeting, the participants agreed that the compendium of cases presented during the sessions will be used to establish a common framework for crises management. The AUN+ 3 University Network reiterated their commitment to ensure that student mobility are carried out in socially-responsible, caring, and sharing communities.
AUN delegates, photo from Martin San Diego
This article originally appeared on www.ateneo.edu.