ASCOT President Dr. Eusebio V. Angara was among the SUC presidents invited and participated in the Executive Course in Education Management and Leadership (ECEML) Foreign Academic Trip (FAT) in New Zealand last June 3 – 8, 2013.

The trip was a part of the Executive Development Program for State Universities and Colleges by the Development Academy of the Philippines in partnership with the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges, under the Commission on Higher Education.

FAT gives an opportunity for the delegates to observe and appreciate best modern practices in higher education institutions and establish possible industry partners.

New Zealand was chosen as the travel destination for the FAT because of its area of focus which is agriculture. Universities in New Zealand are vital part of modern society as they provide for the role teaching and research, aim for development of society with the centers of research excecllence, playing imortnat role in the economic transformation and development of the country.

On the first day of the trip, ASCOT President together with other SUC Presidents visited the Philippine Embassy in Seoul Korea to meet with the Philippine Ambassador to Korea, H.E. Luis T. Cruz. In the afternoon of the same day until the next day, the participants travelled to New Zealand and rested at the James Cook Hotel Grand in Wellington.

The next day, Dr. Angara with the rest of the participants, visited the University of Waikato in Hamilton. Waikato is currently ranked 302, placing it in the top 2% of the 17,000 universities in the world according to Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Pres. Angara said that a number of Filipino student goes to the university.

On June 6, the participants then visited the Victoria University of Wellington. The university is ranked number one by Tertiary Education Commission of New Zealand for overall research quality.

In the afternoon the participants then visited New Zealand Parliament before heading to the Philippine Embassy to meet H.E. Virginia H. Benavidez, Philippine Ambassador to New Zealand. President Angara even observed that the guards and even the chef are Filipinos.

The last university they visited was the Massey University in North Shore City. Massey is one of New Zealand’s largest universities, with approximately 35,000 students and has the nation’s largest business college. According to Pres. Angara, Waikato is like the NZ counterpart of the premier state university in the country – UP.

On the last day, Dr. Angara and the rest of the delegates travelled to Auckland before flying back to the Philippines.

As a sign of appreciation and gratitude, President Angara wrote a letter to the NZ Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Reuben Levermore, and invited him to be the Guest of Honour and Commencement Speaker for next year’s Commencement exercise. Ambassador Levermore was delighted to accept in principle the invitation of the College President. (CTOlivar)