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With delegates from 12 higher education institutions, the University of Southern Mindanao hosted the Access to Competitiveness Training through Internationalisation of Higher Education (ACT-IHE) – English Medium Education (EME) for Region XII on July 11, 2022.
The training is part of an on-going project of the British Council in partnership with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom. It aims to widen access to quality higher education and build competitiveness of Philippine Higher Education Institutions.
English Medium Education (EME) is a response to the increasing pressure for educational institutions to internationalize.
CHED chose USM to be the sending higher education institution for the International Continuing Professional Education (ICPE) Grant, the umbrella for ICT-IHE program which runs from July 2021 to September 2022. The grant from the British Council includes scholarships for the training course from CHED and cascade training funds of 44,000 per master trainer.
USM is among the 17 universities and colleges selected to participate in the program which was identified as the delivering institution for Region XII and the cascade training was undertaken as part of the grant agreement.
The training focused on deepening faculty members’ understanding of the context of English-medium education in higher education, including the differences, challenges, and opportunities that accompany the wide range of activities that EME encompasses. It was designed to help faculty members develop knowledge of the core principles behind good practice in EME, and the many considerations that map onto educational design and delivery.
Through this training, faculty members were exposed to a range of methods and strategies to support them in the effective delivery of instruction particularly in using English as a medium for education in their context.
Topics included contextual demands that can accompany EME, the functions and forms of language in disciplinary communication, effective communication practices in EME settings, interpersonal factors in EME settings, and developmental factors for teachers and students.
Three faculty members of the University namely, Dr. Glyn G. Magbanua, Prof. Anamarie B. Uyangurin, and Prof. Bryan Lloyd P. Bretaňa served as the EME Master Trainers.
Dr. Geoffray R. Atok, Vice President for Academic Affairs and the ACT-IHE-EME Program Lead welcomed the training participants. The University President, Dr. Francisco Gil N. Garcia, delivered an inspirational message and emphasized the importance of international and local collaboration in the advancement of higher education.
Among the HEIs which sent participants to the training were: Sultan Kudarat State University, Cotabato State University, South Cotabato State College, Makilala Institute of Science and Technology, Colegio de Kidapawan, Central Mindanao Colleges, Southern Baptist College, Notre Dame of Marbel University, Notre Dame of Kidapawan College, Southern Christian College, Notre Dame of Midsayap College and Southern Philippines Methodist Colleges.
