- University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB) joins the US-Philippines Global Partnership Level II Workshop to enhance study abroad programs.
- Workshop focused on creating academically rigorous and culturally immersive experiences for U.S. students in the Philippines.
- UPLB strengthens internationalization efforts, fostering global citizenship and cross-cultural learning through the CSAP initiative.
The University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB) recently participated in the US-Philippines Global Partnership Level II Workshop, titled 'Creating Transformative Learning Experiences for U.S. Students in the Philippines', organized by the Philippine-American Educational Foundation (PAEF) on November 18-19, 2025. The workshop brought together representatives from Philippine higher education institutions to explore innovative approaches to hosting U.S. students and providing academically rigorous, culturally immersive, and transformative study abroad experiences.
Representing UPLB were Anna Floresca F. Firmalino, Director of the Office of International Linkages (OIL), and Maria Dominique C. Velasco, Engagements Officer at OIL. Their participation reflects the university’s ongoing commitment to strengthening and expanding its Study Abroad Program, particularly in designing high-quality short-term academic and cultural immersion opportunities for international students.
The two-day workshop provided a platform for Philippine institutions to enhance their capacity to design, host, and deliver programs that integrate academic rigor with meaningful cultural engagement. It also served as a venue to foster collaboration between U.S. and Philippine universities involved in international education.
The initiative was conducted under the Consortium for Study Abroad in the Philippines (CSAP), a new program of PAEF that aims to streamline study abroad processes, provide comprehensive support services, and encourage more U.S. students to pursue educational and cultural immersion experiences in the Philippines. Through CSAP, participating institutions collectively work to ensure quality assurance, student safety, academic integrity, and enriching intercultural engagement.
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Dr. Nick Gozik of Elon University facilitated the workshop, guiding participants through best practices, program design frameworks, and strategies for delivering impactful learning experiences tailored for international students. Commenting on UPLB’s engagement, Anna Floresca F. Firmalino said, “Our participation in this workshop strengthens UPLB’s efforts to offer transformative study abroad experiences that are both academically sound and culturally immersive. We aim to create programs that not only educate but also foster global citizenship, intercultural fluency, and meaningful connections between students from the Philippines and the United States”.
UPLB’s involvement aligns with its Strategic Internationalization Plan (2024-2028), which prioritizes the purposeful development of international partnerships, the internationalization of programs and projects, and the promotion of global citizenship through mobility and internationalization-at-home initiatives. By engaging in CSAP and similar initiatives, UPLB is contributing to positioning both the university and the Philippines as emerging destinations for high-quality, culturally grounded, and transformative global learning.
Through these efforts, the university continues to expand opportunities for meaningful cross-cultural exchange, strengthen institutional linkages, and support the creation of internationally connected learning environments that prepare students to navigate and contribute to an increasingly interconnected world.
