12/05/2026
๐ค๐ข๐ฃ๐ ๐ณ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ท๐ผ ๐ง๐ช๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ค๐ท๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ผ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐โ๐ผ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ธ๐ท๐ญ ๐๐ธ๐ป๐ญ๐ฎ๐ป๐ผ: ๐๐ท๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ป๐ท๐ช๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ธ๐ท๐ช๐ต ๐๐ช๐๐ผ 2026
by Marevel B. Caburnay, USTP Oroquieta International Affairs Coordinator
April 27-29, 2026 โ The University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP), through its Global Engagement and Mobility (GEM) and the International Affairs Office (IAO), actively participated in the 5th edition of Beyond Borders: International Days, hosted by Xavier University โ Ateneo de Cagayan, Cagayan de Oro City.
Anchored on the theme โNurturing Legacies, Serving Communities: Realizing our Global Mission through Local Impact,โ the event highlighted the shared commitment of higher education institutions to advancing internationalization while sustaining meaningful community engagement.
USTPโs presence in this significant academic gathering underscored its strong commitment to global collaboration and international partnerships. By engaging in the opening program alongside key educational leaders and institutions, USTP reaffirmed its role in promoting globally responsive and locally grounded education.
The opening program on April 27, convened educators, academic leaders, and institutional partners in a celebration of shared goals in international education. It featured distinguished speakers, including Dr. Christine Nabor Ferrer, Director IV, Director-in-Charge of the International Affairs Service; Dr. Arlita Amapola B. Minguez, Officer-in-Charge of the Office of the Director IV, Commission on Higher Education Regional Office 10; Ms. Beatriz Jimeno Ortas, Education Advisor at the Spanish Embassy in Manila; and Ms. Hannah Mae S. Salugsugan, National Director of AFS Philippines. Their messages emphasized the importance of strengthening global linkages, intercultural understanding, and collaborative academic initiatives.
The program was also led by Dr. Shiella C. Balbutin, Director of the Office of International Cooperation and Networking (OICN) of Xavier University, whose leadership reflected a strong institutional drive toward international engagement and cross-cultural collaboration.
USTP was represented by Engr. Sprinztsie Maye T. Garrucha, Section Head of Global Initiatives and Partnerships; Mr. Aliver Aguaviva, Head of the Foreign Student Services Unit; and Ms. Marevel Caburnay, International Affairs Coordinator of USTP Oroquieta. Their active participation in Beyond Borders 2026 provided meaningful opportunities for networking, knowledge exchange, and benchmarking of internationalization practices with partner institutions and stakeholders.
The engagement further strengthened USTPโs commitment to advancing its internationalization agenda by integrating global perspectives into its academic programs. More importantly, it reinforced the universityโs strategic direction of ensuring that global engagements are translated into concrete, meaningful, and locally responsive initiatives that benefit its academic community and partner stakeholders.
e-poster: Joseph Martin L. Eder
