#GoingGlobal: Fulbright Philippines taps VSU as one of 22 partner HEIs nationwide, VSU is only CSAP partner in EV

The Philippine-American Educational Foundation (PAEF) (Fulbright Philippines) tapped Visayas State University (VSU) as one of 22 partner higher education institutions (HEIs) nationwide to take part in the Consortium for Study Abroad in the Philippines (CSAP) launched alongside the 78th Anniversary of PAEF and the Higher Education Partnership Ceremony last March 24. 

Co-organized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Department of Tourism (DOT), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, the launch was highlighted by a ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between VSU and PAEF Executive Director Julio Amador III, Ms. Jessica Simon, Counselor for Public Affairs of the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, CHED Chairperson, Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis, DOT Assistant Secretary Christine Joy E. Cari, and DFA representative, Ms. Raquel Solano who each represented their respective agencies. 

VSU President, Dr. Prose Ivy G. Yepes, and International Affairs and Relations Office (IARO) Director, Dr. Jade Dhapnee Z. Compendio, represented the university during the ceremonial MOU signing.

“As one of the 22 selected higher education institutions (HEIs) partnering with PAEF (Fulbright Philippines),” writes IARO on its official FB page, “VSU reaffirms its commitment to enhancing and standardizing the hosting of U.S. scholars, an effort that supports positioning the Philippines as a premier destination for international education in the Indo-Pacific region, while strengthening global competitiveness of Philippine higher education.” 

CSAP is an initiative that brings together top HEIs in the Philippines into a streamlined network where U.S. universities may send students to the Philippines for short-term courses, semester exchanges, and faculty-led programs.

Other HEIs in this network include University of the Philippines Los Baños, Silliman University, Ateneo de Davao University, and University of the Philippines Visayas, with VSU as the only CSAP partner in Eastern Visayas. 

Expected to “turn the tide on student mobility,” as the U.S. Embassy in Manila puts it in a press release, the initiative aims to “attract more American students by promoting Philippine universities as destinations for study and cultural immersion, positioning the country as a hub for international education.” 

When asked about what the VSU community can look forward to as a result of its membership in this consortium, Dr. Compendio revealed that plans are already in place for our agriculture and education programs. 

“The plan that involves our education program will be happening very soon. The US delegation, composed of undergraduate students and faculty members, is scheduled to visit in June 2026. The 14-day visit involves various activities like engagement with the pupils, learning about the educational system of the Philippines, our culture, and so much more. The event will be organized by the IARO in partnership with the Faculty of Teacher Education, marking its first collaborative engagement with VSU. The agriculture program will follow right after the education program this year,” she added.

This present engagement between VSU and PAEF strengthens and continues an MOU that has been struck between the university and Fulbright Philippines during the term of former VSU President Dr. Edgardo E. Tulin. 

It is noteworthy that Dr. Ronald Villaber, Instructor III at the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry (DoPAC), completed his Ph.D. at the Texas Tech University under a Fulbright scholarship. He joins the ranks of #ProudViscan Fulbrighters.

The university also boasts of holding a solid track record of hosting international students from Africa, Central Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Europe and of granting graduate fellowships and teaching grants to deserving foreign students.

The membership of the university in CSAP is set to further bolster these internationalization efforts, as it will enable greater mobility for students from U.S. universities to enter Visayas State University and VSU students to attend U.S. universities.

This article is aligned with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No. 4: Quality Education and SDG No. 17: Partnership for the Goals.

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