04/09/2026
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐ง๐ง๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐๐
Five Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management students of West Visayas State University (WVSU) successfully completed their participation in the ASEAN Language and Culture Exchange (ASEAN LACE) 2026, a month-long virtual internationalization program hosted by Ifugao State University (IfSU) in collaboration with participating higher education institutions across ASEAN.
Held from August 12 to September 4, 2026, ASEAN LACE brought together students and faculty from Philippine and foreign higher education institutions through a series of virtual language and culture sessions. Participants explored the languages, cultural practices, traditions, heritage, student life, and perspectives of ASEAN communities through sessions featuring Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Brunei Darussalam, among others.
Alongside the language and culture sessions, the WVSU students also participated in the ASEAN Campus Cross Chat (ACross), the collaborative component of ASEAN LACE. Through paired university groups, students exchanged experiences and perspectives, explored cultural similarities and differences, built intercultural friendships, and developed collaborative intercultural presentations for the ACross Showcase.
Representing WVSU were ๐ฑ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฎ. ๐ญ๐๐๐๐๐
๐, ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ ๐ฑ. ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ด๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐น. ๐ถ๐๐๐๐, ๐ฑ๐๐๐๐ ๐ด๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐
๐ท๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ ๐ป. ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐. Their participation was highlighted by team recognitions, including ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐ช๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ถ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐ ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐๐
, ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐ช๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ณ๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐
๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐ท๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐
๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ช๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.
The WVSU delegation was supported by Dr. Zendle Ann D. Binobo, Faculty Moderator, who coordinated and guided the students throughout their participation in ASEAN LACE and ACross.
The successful participation of the WVSU tourism management students, through the support of the WVSU International and Local Linkages Office - ILLO, reflects the Universityโs commitment to internationalization, intercultural learning, and global citizenship, while providing future tourism professionals with meaningful opportunities to develop communication, collaboration, cultural awareness, and regional perspectives.
Through ASEAN LACE and ACross, the WVSU students demonstrated that international learning does not always require crossing bordersโit can begin with conversations, cultural sharing, and meaningful connections with fellow ASEAN learners.
