EMA-Philippines Bridges European and Philippine Higher Education in Virtual Meeting with GarageErasmus

On 10 April 2025, EMA-Philippines facilitated a promising virtual dialogue between the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and GarageErasmus, laying the groundwork for future academic collaboration. The meeting, organised by EMA Country Representative Mr. Nicky C. Cardenas, brought together leaders from Philippine higher education and the European innovation ecosystem to explore joint initiatives in mobility, research, and international partnerships.

In a significant step towards international academic collaboration, the Erasmus Mundus Association Philippines (EMA-Philippines) hosted an exploratory virtual meeting on 10 April 2025 via Zoom, linking the College of Arts and Letters (CAL) and the Office of International Affairs (OIA) of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) with the GarageErasmus Foundation.

The initiative was spearheaded by Mr. Nicky C. Cardenas, an alumnus of the EMJMD-NOHA programme and the EMA Country Representative for the Philippines, who played a central role in coordinating the engagement. Through his efforts, EMA-Philippines served as a vital bridge between European innovation networks and Philippine higher education institutions, reinforcing EMA’s mission of fostering global connections.

Representing GarageErasmus from Verona, Italy was Mr. Sillian Ferrari. PUP’s delegation included prominent academic leaders: Prof. Dr. Rafael Michael O. Paz, Dean of CAL; Prof. Felicitas C. Trinidad, Director of OIA; Prof. Dr. Christopher F. Sasot, Chief of the Special Internationalisation Projects Section; Prof. Zaila C. Decin, Chief of Partnership and Linkages Section; and Dr. Jinky Reyes, Chief of the Exchange and Study Programme Section.

The dialogue centred on exploring collaborative opportunities in key areas such as academic mobility for faculty, staff, and students, capacity-building programmes, joint research projects, and broader internationalization efforts. The meeting underscored a shared enthusiasm for formalizing this potential collaboration through future meetings and partnership agreements. Importantly, the meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of GarageErasmus and EMA to strengthening ties between European Union higher education institutions and global academic partners, with a clear vision for deepening cooperation between Europe and the Philippines in the months ahead.

By Mr. Nicky C. Cardenas,

EMA Country Representative for Philippines