How UM Students Prove That Learning Knows No Borders

5 BS Biology major in Ecology students from the University of Mindanao — Cassandra Eryka Blanch Aralquez, Jonah Putian, Franz Althea Ayuba, Mark Joseph Burdeos, and Mae Liza Escodero — participated in the International Science Summer School 2025 held at Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand from April 23 to 27.

Organized by the host university’s Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, the program carried the theme “Diversity of Flowering Plants: A Botanical Journey into Art Workshop.” It brought together students, faculty, and researchers from across Southeast Asia to explore the beauty and complexity of flowering plants, blending scientific techniques with creative expression.

Accompanied by BS Biology faculty member Mr. Mark Angelou Siega, the UM participants engaged in a range of hands-on activities, including floral dissections, biodiversity walks, cyanotype printing, and field studies in mangrove and coastal ecosystems.

Reflecting on the experience, Miss Franz Althea Ayuba shared, “This experience was truly an educational awakening. We encountered new concepts that are not used in our current curriculum, and I realized how exciting it would be to integrate these into our Biology program.  She added, “Beyond scientific knowledge, we also gained insights into Thai and Lao cultures while they, in turn, learned from ours, which made the experience even richer.”

The University of Mindanao’s participation contributes to advancing SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 15: Life on Land, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, fostering global academic engagement, ecological awareness, and sustainable international partnerships.