The top administrators at University of Hawaii at Hilo and Eastern Samar State University in the Philippines have signed a Memorandum of Understanding intended to spur cooperation between the two universities through virtual classroom collaboration and faculty research.
UH-Hilo Chancellor Bonnie Irwin and Eastern Samar State University President Andre Pagatpatan Jr., signed the agreement on March 8 during a virtual ceremony.
Eastern Samar State University is a public university located in the Eastern Samar province of the Philippines. Situated in a rural area next to beaches and rain forest, the university is noted for strong agriculture, forestry, environmental science, tourism and teacher training programs.
“The cooperation between our two schools is an important step in creating more global awareness and intercultural competency among students at both universities,” said Todd Shumway, UH-Hilo’s director of global exchange, who attended the signing.
The virtual signing was held at a CyberCANOE classroom in Mookini Library.
CyberCANOE (acronym for “cyber-enabled collaboration analysis navigation and observation environment”) classrooms are high-tech communication hubs that support advanced teaching, collaboration, and research among geographically dispersed people including students, faculty, researchers and administrators.
Also representing UH-Hilo at the signing were Todd Inouye, director of the College of Business and Economics; Bruce Mathews, dean of UH-Hilo’s College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management; Kelly Moran, a local businessman who teaches finance at UH-Hilo; and Caesar Hjerten, a UH-Hilo alumni from Sweden who previously worked with Moran as a student assistant.
Also representing Eastern Samar State University at the signing were Lito Lacaba, vice president for research and extension; Marina Apilado, vice president for quality assurance and external affairs; and Marijun Leonor Obon, director for internationalization programs.
