Taipei, Taiwan – Executive Board members of the University Consortium attended the 32nd Executive Board Meeting on 21-22 November 2019 at National Taiwan University (NTU) in Taipei, Taiwan. Regular Member institutions represented in the meeting include: Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) represented by Dr. Robiah Yunus, Dean, School of Graduate Studies, and Mr. Saiful Maskan, Senior Assistant Registrar; Kasetsart University (KU) represented by Dr. Buncha Chinnasri, Assistant to the President, and Dr. Naroon Waramit, Assistant to the President for Academic and International Affairs, Kamphaeng Saen Campus; Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) represented by Dr. Djagal Wiseso Marseno, Vice Rector for Education, Learning, and Student Affairs, and Dr. Jamhari, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture; Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) represented by Dr. Dodik Ridho Nurrochmat, Vice Rector for Collaboration and Information System, Dr. Meti Ekayani, Deputy Head of Department of Resource and Environment Economics, and Dr. Nahrowi, Secretary of Master Program, Graduate School; and University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB) represented by Dr. Fernando C. Sanchez, Chancellor, Dr. Portia Lapitan, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and Dr. Jose V. Camacho, Jr., Dean of the Graduate School.
Associate Member Tokyo University of Agriculture (Tokyo NODAI) was represented by Dr. Akihiro Shiomoto, Dean of the Graduate School of Bioindustry and Dr. Yoichi Sakata, Director of the Center for International Programs. The host institution, NTU, was represented by Dr. Huu Sheng Lur and Dr. Shu Jen Wang, Dean and Associate Dean, respectively, of the College of Bioresources and Agriculture. Dr. Chiapei Chou, Executive Vice President for International Affairs of NTU likewise attended the meeting and delivered a keynote message to the Executive Board together with Dr. Shih-Torng Ding, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Dar-Yuan Lee, Associate Dean of the College of Bioresources and Agriculture, and Dr. Chi-Te Liu, Associate Professor, Institute of Biotechnology.
Universitas Brawijaya (UB), seeking formal inclusion to the UC as Regular Member from their current status as Affiliate Member, was represented in the meeting by Dr. Moch. Sasmito Djati, Vice Rector of Planning and Cooperation, and Dr. Panji Deoranto, Head of Agency for Research, Community Service and Cooperation, Faculty of Agricultural Technology. The University of British Columbia (UBC) was also in attendance, represented by Dr. Zhaoming Xu, Associate Dean Academic for the Faculty of Food and Land Systems. UBC’s status as an Affiliate Member has been reactivated since the last UC Executive Board meeting in 2018.
The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) which serves as UC Secretariat and co-organizer of the meeting was represented by Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, Director, Dr. Maria Cristeta N. Cuaresma, OIC for the Office of the Deputy Director for Administration and Program Head of the Graduate Education and Institutional Development Department (GEIDD), and Dr. Pedcris M. Orencio, Program Head of the Research and Development Department (RDD).
During the meeting, the Executive Board reviewed the accomplishments of the UC through the respective member reports in terms of scholarships, grants, activities, and offshoot projects resulting from collaborations with institutions. The UC also formally welcomed Universitas Brawijaya (UB) as a Regular Member and acknowledged NTU as the host and new Associate Member. In addition, updates on the ERASMUS+-funded project on a Joint Master program in Food Security and Climate Change (MSFSCC) was presented together with the plans of offering the degree in 2020. Activities for next year were also laid out with UB hosting the upcoming Summer School, UGM taking the lead for the 6th UC Graduate Forum, NTU organizing the 2nd Faculty Forum, and KU at the helm of the 33rd UC Executive Board Meeting.
The UC was established in 1989 through SEARCA’s initiative to share resources and collaborate on student and faculty exchanges among leading agricultural universities. Now on its 30th year, the UC continues to offer competitive student and faculty grants and activities hosted by the different member institutions on a rotation basis. The UC also engages in dual or joint degrees as well as collaborative research studies among the members and institutional partners outside Southeast Asia. For more information about the UC and its annual activities, grants, and scholarships visit https://uc.searca.org/
