- East-West Center and Mariano Marcos State University sign MOU on June 2, 2025, in Honolulu to deepen academic, research, and institutional cooperation.
- Dr. James Scott and Dr. Virgilio Julius Manzano Jr. lead the partnership, aligning shared goals of international exchange and regional collaboration.
- MMSU becomes the first Philippine HEI partner of EWC, marking a strategic step toward innovation, people-to-people ties, and ASEAN academic leadership.
The East-West Center (EWC) and the Philippines' Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) have officially agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance institutional cooperation in academic exchange, research, and international partnership. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on June 2, 2025, at the campus of the East-West Center in Honolulu.
The MOU forms a context for mutual collaboration in student and professional exchanges, collaborative research activities, academic events, and sharing of academic resources between the two institutions. The partnership indicates a shared commitment towards facilitating academic excellence, global understanding, and people-to-people connections across the Asia-Pacific region.
Dr. James Scott, Interim President, East-West Center, commented, "This agreement is a testament to the East-West Center's long-standing commitment to connecting people through education and exchange. We are privileged to partner with Mariano Marcos State University, an institution that upholds our shared values of knowledge building and regional cooperation".
Dr. Virgilio Julius Manzano Jr., Mariano Marcos State University President, said, "My administration's SUCCEED agenda is deliberately aligned with the East-West Center's mission of promoting improved relations and mutual understanding among the people through cooperative study, training, and research programs. As the first Philippine Higher Education Institution (PHEI) partner of the EWC, we are proud to be the trailblazer of this alliance". We look forward to the establishment and launching of significant collaborative projects that enhance intellectual exchange, capacity development, and interdisciplinary studies."
The signing event was graced by delegates from both institutions, such as East-West Center leaders, delegates from the visiting MMSU group headed by Dr. Virgilio Julius Manzano Jr., and honored guests. The event also showcased the common alumni affinity between the institutions, such as Philippine Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Secretary Arsenio Balisacan and former MMSU President Dr. Santiago Obien, both proud alumni of the East-West Center.
This MOU marks the beginning of a strategic partnership aimed at fostering innovation, academic growth, and long-term cooperation between Hawai‘i and the Philippines.
The East-West Center advances greater understanding and relations among the people and nations of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific through collaborative study, research, and dialogue. Founded by the US Congress in 1960, the Center is a source of information, analysis, and outreach on matters of shared concern, convening people to share perspectives, gain expertise, and inform policy.
Mariano Marcos State University, with headquarters in Ilocos Norte, Philippines, is a prominent public university of international standing. Founded in 1978, MMSU maintains a passion for academic excellence, research and innovation, and global competitiveness. The university promotes cross-border education, faculty and student exchange, and sustainable development through strategic networking and international cooperation. MMSU continues to widen its international network in the pursuit of its vision to become a premier international research university in the ASEAN region.
