- PAEF (Fulbright Commission) signs MoUs with Mindanao Development Authority and Ateneo de Davao University to expand educational and cultural exchange in Mindanao.
- New Fulbright scholarships will target conflict-affected communities, focusing on energy and agriculture, while CSAP brings U.S. students and faculty to the Philippines for immersive courses.
- The agreements aim to foster peace, inclusive development, and academic excellence, strengthening the 75-year U.S.–Philippine Fulbright partnership.
The Philippine-American Educational Foundation (PAEF), also known as the Fulbright Commission in the Philippines, inked new agreements with the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU) to further open educational opportunities, encourage cultural exchange, and showcase American excellence in higher education across Mindanao.
In this regard, PACEF has signed an MoU with MinDA to develop customized Fulbright scholarships targeted at conflict-affected communities in the region. The selected scholars will pursue advanced studies and professional development in the United States in particular fields of energy and agriculture.
PAFE also signed an MoU with Ateneo de Davao University. The agreement marks the formal designation of ADDU as the host institution for a new exchange program called the Consortium for Study Abroad in the Philippines, CSAP. CSAP will bring American students and faculty to the Philippines for cultural immersion and six-week academic courses in agriculture, rural development, engineering, and business.
"The Fulbright Program is not just a scholarship program in the Philippines it is a cornerstone of post-war Philippine intellectual and leadership development, a symbol of the enduring U.S. Philippine partnership, and still the single most important academic exchange mechanism between the two countries after more than 75 years", PAEF Chairperson and U.S. Embassy Counselor for Public Affairs Jessica Simon said.
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“This signing is more than a ceremonial act it is a bold step toward empowering the people of Mindanao. In this Memorandum of Understanding, MinDA and the Fulbright Commission reaffirm a shared conviction: that education is the most powerful engine of peace, progress, and prosperity,” said MinDA Secretary Leo Tereso Magno.
“The CSAP aligns with the University’s mission to advance research, innovation, and the formation of graduates committed to service and leadership. ADDU is proud to support inclusive peace and development in Mindanao through academic excellence and community outreach”, said ADDU Vice President for Higher Education Fr. Antonio Basilio, S.J.
The Philippine-American Educational Foundation was established on March 23, 1948, as a non-profit, binational organization sponsored by the U.S. and Philippine governments. It is the oldest continuously active Fulbright commission in the world and the oldest international scholarship in the Philippines. To date, PAEF has awarded grants to over 3,000 Filipinos and almost 1,000 Americans to pursue graduate degree study, teaching, and research in the Philippines and the United States.
