UP Manila participated in the recent international partnership visit organized by the British Council for the member schools of the South Manila Educational Consortium (SMEC). SMEC is a group of higher educational institutions composed of the following: Adamson University, De La Salle – College of St. Benilde, De La Salle University, Emilio Aguinaldo College, Lyceum of the Philippines University, Philippine Christian University, Philippine Normal University, Philippine Women’s University, Santa Isabel College, St. Paul University Manila, St. Scholastica’s College, and the University of the Philippines Manila.

The primary purpose of the consortium is to collaborate actively to effect social transformation by promoting the cause of education and by making quality and relevant learning accessible to as many as possible.

This second international visit held last March 13-24, 2019, organized by the British Council, was participated in by officials from nine SMEC universities. The UK universities visited were the University of Glasgow, Manchester Metropolitan University, Birmingham City University, Aberystwyth University, University of Wales Trinity St. Davies, and Cardiff and Valle College.

The goal was to meet universities in the United Kingdom with interest to partner with SMEC institutions in the following priority areas: Health, Nursing and Medical sciences; Gender Studies; Music; Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management; Digital Designs and IT; Academe-Industry Partnership (UPM lead); Employability (UPM lead); International Conference on Aeging (SPMU lead); dProf Programme at University of Aberystwyth (PNU lead); International Arts Festival (DLSU lead); Sports Science Conference (EAC lead); and Project Reducing the City’s Traffic Woes for a Liveable Manila (AdU Lead).

Published in UP Manila Healthscape No. 373 (March – Apil 2019)