Last 30-31 January 2019, representatives from the British Council and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) together with the JDNP technical working group (TWG), organised a focus group discussion (FGD) series at the University of San Carlos in Cebu City and Ateneo de Davao University in Davao City respectively.
Led by JDNP TWG members, Prof Anna Firmalino of University of the Philippines Los Banos and Ms Maria Teresa Santos from the Ateneo de Manila University, the FGD was attended by over 45 leaders from 35 higher education institutions (HEIs) in the cities of Cebu and Davao who helped identify new areas of discipline that could be prioritised in TNE development based on the HEIs; needs and priorities aligned to the country’s economic agenda.
This survey of national scale is part of the ongoing study by the British Council and CHED to build on the success of the pilot Transnational Education (TNE) partnership. It also aims to set up more standardised processes and mechanisms within CHED for the development and delivery of TNE in the country.
The first of the FGD series was held in Dumaguete City last November 2018. Currently, CHED and the British Council gear towards holding three more FGD sessions for April, this time in Metro Manila and Northern Luzon. The final report of the study will be released in May this year.