24 September 2020 – At the sidelines of the Australian Technology Network (ATN) Education Summit, Chairman J. Prospero E. De Vera III of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) of the Philippines and Professor Attila Brungs, Vice Chancellor of the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and ATN Chair held the ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Higher Education and Research. The ceremony was witnessed by H.E. Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega.

Presidents of state colleges and universities of the Philippines also viewed the ceremony online.

The ATN is a consortium of four of the most innovative and enterprising universities in Australia – UTS in New South Wales, RMIT University in Melbourne, University of South Australia and Curtin University in Western Australia.

The MOU will facilitate cooperation between Philippine State Universities and ATN Member Universities particularly on science and innovation in higher education and research. It also supports the longstanding education cooperation between the Philippines and Australia.

In his opening remarks, Professor Brungs recognized the importance of the Philippines in Australia’s international education sector. He said, “On the ATN Global Engagement Plan, we want to expand this and make it richer and deeper, one of our core areas of focus is now is on the Philippines.” He said the ATN and CHED will develop a work plan to activate this collaboration with the objective of implementing activities by 2021.

Chairman de Vera said that the Philippines and Australia will be celebrating the 75th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations in 2021 and higher education cooperation is an important part of this milestone. He explained that the MOU is aligned with the priorities of the Philippines Australia Comprehensive Partnership and the national development plans of the Philippines. He said, “This important agreement that we sign today is crucial in pushing for stronger internationalization of Philippine Higher Education Institutions.”

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