DOST chief to ASEAN scholars: Be advocates of collaboration
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) urged Wednesday, March 24, its recipients of Scholarship Offerings for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Researchers at Cambodia – Lao PDR – Myanmar (CLM)” to be “advocates of collaboration” when they return to their home countries.
DOST Secretary Fortunato “Boy” T. de la Peña made this call during the CLMs scholars’ virtual gathering with the DOST and partner-institutons on Wednesday.
"I would really like to urge our graduates now, starting to graduate, our graduates to become, shall we say , advocates of collaboration when they get back to their respective countries, to Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar,” he said.
He noted that developing one's human resources is the most sustainable means to affect positive change in whatever fields the scholars maybe into when they go back to their countries.
De la Peña also asked the scholars to explore other higher education institutions (HEIs) in the country.
The DOST chief said he observed that the CLM scholars "have been sort of singling out only four places —UP (University of the Philippines) Los Baños, UP Manila and De La Salle University.”
“There are other universities you can choose from...The Philippines is not only Manila and Los Baños, we have 16 regions in the country and we have good higher education institutions in the other regions,” de la Peña said.
"I think that will be good possible destination for our Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar scholars”
He said the scholars may consider going to universities identified s a NICER or NICHE Center in the Region for research and development.
“We have established what we call NICHE Research Centers in the regions. These are in the centers in the region and they can be good places to take up graduate work, considering that they do research that are focused in their specific area of expertise,” De la Peña said.
Established in 2017, the scholarship program is being implemented by the DOST-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI).
As an implementing agency, SEI visits the three Southeast Asian countries to hold applicant screening sessions.