How UM Is Building Bridges in Global Teacher Education

Davao City, Philippines — The University of Mindanao warmly welcomed students and faculty representatives from Valaya Alongkorn Rajabhat University (VRU), Thailand, during a courtesy meeting with the University’s senior officials held on May 3, 2026.

Five students from VRU are currently undertaking a one-month SEA-Teacher cultural immersion and teaching internship at UM—an initiative designed to enhance cross-cultural understanding and professional development among future educators.

The delegation was received by UM senior officials led by Guillermo P. Torres Jr., University President; Eugenio S. Guhao Jr., Chief Academic Officer; Ronnie V. Amorado, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs; and Reynaldo C. Castro, Vice President for External Relations and International Affairs.

Accompanying the students were two faculty members from VRU’s Faculty of Education, International Relations Division. Also present during the meeting were the Dean, Assistant Dean, and Program Heads of the College of Teacher Education (CTE), who will serve as academic hosts throughout the program.

The engagement highlighted shared priorities in teacher education, student mobility, research collaboration, and sustainable partnership initiatives all aimed at creating meaningful academic experiences and generating long-term benefits for both institutions and their communities.

More than a formal engagement, the courtesy meeting reflected friendship, mutual respect, and a shared vision for global education. As the partnership continues to grow, both UM and VRU look forward to expanding opportunities that cultivate globally competent educators and transformative learning experiences.

This initiative supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 - Quality Education by enhancing globally enriched teacher training, and Sustainable Development Goal 17 - Partnerships for the Goals by strengthening international academic collaboration. Through programs like SEA-Teacher, UM continues to advance its role in shaping educators who are responsive to global and multicultural learning environments.