#GoingGlobal: VSU strengthens ties with top Belgian universities for long-term global project

Visayas State University (VSU) officials traveled to Belgium from May 3-11, 2025 to take part in a week-long series of meeting with Flemish universities under the Institutional University Cooperation (IUC) program of VLIRUOS, a move that brings VSU closer to securing one of the most competitive international academic partnerships open to institutions in the Global South. 

The discussions centered on the proposed project titled Strengthening Visayas State University’s Capacity for Sustainable Societal Transformation by Advancing Innovation, Inclusive Growth, and Building Networks or SUSTAIN. 

The VSU delegation is composed of University President Dr. Prose Ivy G. Yepes, Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Rotacio S. Gravoso, Vice President for Administration and Finance Dr. Moises Neil V. Seriño, Vice President for Research, Extension and Innovation Dr. Santiago T. Peña, Jr., Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Science Dr.Suzette B. Lina, and Dr. Norberto E. Milla and Dr. Justine Bennette H. Millado, faculty members from the Department of Statistics and Department of Pest Management, respectively.

They met with key officials, faculty, and researchers from Ghent University, Hasselt University, KU Leuven, and Vrije Universiteit Brussel to finalize the structure and content of the stage 2 proposal for the IUC program. 

VSU representatives joined working session to align strategic directions, refine technical work packages, identify academic counterparts, and shape the long-term governance of the proposed partnership 

Institutional assessments and theory of change workshops were also held throughout the week, with site visits to university laboratories and research centers enriching the technical preparations. 

The meetings were led by Professor Dr. Peter Goethals of Ghent University, a renowned authority in aquatic ecology and the lead promoter of the IUC proposal. 

He coordinated closely with the VSU delegation to make sure the proposed program reflects the common academic goals and addresses urgent regional development issues in Eastern Visayas and beyond. 

Seven thematic areas from the backbone of the SUSTAIN proposal, spanning key development challenges such as the water-energy-food-ecosystem nexus, community and public health, governance and social change, resilience planning, data infrastructure, emerging  technologies, and faculty and institutional development. 

During the Belgium meetings, a new sub-theme, which is disaster preparedness and risk reduction, was introduced to respond to the Philippines’ growing exposure to climate-related risks. 

The delegation also visited the Philippine Embassy in Belgium, where officials extended their support for VSU’s ongoing work with Flemish institutions.

The meeting reflected broader recognition of the project’s relevance not only to the university but also to national goals in research, sustainability, and higher education. 

This mission builds on VSU’s earlier progress in the IUC program. The university was named by Ghent University in August 2024 as its institutional partner of choice for the new IUC cycle. 

A team of international faculty, including Dr. Goethals, Dr. Marie Anne Eurie Forio, and Dr. Olivier Thas from Hasselt University, conducted onsite workshops and consultations in Baybay City, Leyte to develop the initial concept note. 

VSU is one of just a handful universities selected globally for the IUC Stage 2 process and the only one from Asia. It joins institutions from the Global South such as Nelson Mandela University, Wolaita Sodo University, and Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana, among others. 

Ahead of the Belgium meetings, VSU also hosted two external evaluators from Syspons, a firm commissioned by VLIRUOS to conduct institutional assessments. Their February 2025 visit provided further input into the development of a competitive Stage 2 proposal. 

The IUC program is a long-term initiative by VLIROUS, the operational arm of Flemish universities, that promotes academic partnerships across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It supports research agenda, improved teaching programs, and community-engaged innovation that responds to real-world problems. 

The SUSTAIN proposal is now nearing completion and, if approved, will provide VSU with long-term support for research, capacity-building, and network-building activities with its Flemish counterparts to expand the university’s role in contributing  to local development while building bridges with the global academic community. 

This article is aligned with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No. 1: No Poverty; SDG 2: Zero Hunger; SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being; SDG 4: Quality Education; SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation; SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities; SDG 13: Climate Action, and; SDG 17: Partnership for Goals

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