NEW YORK – The Philippine Consulate General of New York recently met with Rowan University, a public university based in Glassbooro, New Jersey, to forge a possible cooperation arrangement between Rowan University and the University of the Philippines College of Engineering.
Deputy Consul General Zaldy Patron and Aura Matias, dean of UP College Engineering, met with officials of the university to explore areas of cooperation between the two universities in bio-medical engineering and disaster risk management. They also discussed about possible exchange of faculty and graduate students as well as collaboration on curriculum development, research and thesis direction.
Matias, together with Patron, discussed these areas of collaboration with Rowan University President Dr. Ali Houshmand and with other university officials following an earlier meeting which Consul General Mario de Leon, Jr. and Patron had with them prior to the arrival of Matias from the Philippines.
Rowan University, a public university, is recognized for its engineering and medical science programs. Its College of Engineering is nationally ranked in the US and has existing technology partnership with Lockheed Martin to develop radar system applications in support of national defense. In addition, it is one of the few US universities that own two medical schools, namely Cooper Medical School and School of Osteopathic Medicine. It became only the second university in the US to offer both an M.D. and a D.O. program. Rowan also has partnership with large pharmaceutical companies in New Jersey.
Matias was given a tour of the university’s Virtual Reality Laboratory which uses 3D technology for advanced modeling and simulation. She was shown a demonstration of the laboratory’s Floodwater Simulations program, which is used to model rainwater runoff and project the effectiveness of flood mitigation projects. The technology can be utilized for flood control projects and early warning systems in key cities like Metro Manila.
Consul General Mario De Leon, Jr. expressed hope that the UP College of Engineering and Rowan University would be able to come up with a formal cooperation agreement and implement concrete joint projects in the near future.
In November 2012, the Philippine Consulate also assisted in the successful agreement with Seton Hall University, a major Catholic university based in South Orange, New Jersey. After months of preparation, the Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., Seton Hall University President A. Gabriel Esteban and Ambassador John K. Menzies, Dean of the John C. Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations at the Seton Hall University signed a partnership agreement to strengthen relations between the Government of the Philippines and the Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations. Consul General Mario De Leon, Jr.also signed the agreement as witness.
As part of the partnership agreement, The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the John C. Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations will share publications and information regarding courses in international relations and diplomacy. Relationships between respective libraries will be established whereby projects in areas of mutual interest, particularly in research projects and the organization of conferences, seminars, and workshops in the field of diplomacy and global concerns will also be shared.
“We have a three to four year relationship now with several universities in the Philippines, where our students attend. We send nursing faculty and students to the College of Nursing of the University of the Philippines, and our Health Sciences will be sending faculty and students as well,” said Dr. Esteban. “This relationship is great because the Philippines is the only predominantly Catholic country in Asia. To establish ties back home is special.”
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PHOTO CAPTION
(From left, 1st row) UP Dean Aura Matias, Rowan University President, Dr. Ali Houshman, Deputy Consul General Zaldy Patron, Board of Trustees Member Lita Abele. (From left, 2nd row) Provost & Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. James Newell, Dean of the College of Engineering Dr. Anthony Lowman, International Center Director Timothy Torre, and UP alumnus Rey Morales during their meeting at Rowan University.