UP is set to offer “sandwich programs” in biology and chemistry at the National Taiwan University (NTU) and Academia Sinica.
Vice President for Academic Affairs Gisela Concepcion, Professor Flerida Cariño of the Institute of Chemistry (IChem) and Professor Windell Rivera of the Institute of Biology (IB) mapped out the plans with NTU on May 29 and 30, and with Academia Sinica on May 31 in Taiwan.
The programs will allow IB and IChem graduate students to conduct their research at the two foreign universities. Student mentoring, which will begin as soon as the research problem has been formulated and assigned to the student, will be done jointly by faculty members of UP and its partner university with matching or complementary specializations. Part of the student research will be done using local facilities to encourage the buildup of capabilities and equipment in UP laboratories.
A thesis proposal approved by their respective institutes in UP will however be required before the student commences work abroad.
UP already has a “sandwich program” with Academia Sinica for IChem students but will expand it to include those from IB.
Next on the agenda is a joint symposium, possibly hosted by UP, to match the faculty members of UP and the Taiwanese schools in terms of specialization.
Earlier in the week, UP officials and faculty members visited the universities under the Southern Taiwan Universities Alliance to strengthen UP’s internationalization initiatives.
