Learning from each other.
This is what administrative and academic officials from Indonesian, German and Philippines universities did when they attended a five-day international university management conference in Dumaguete City early this month.
The Dumaguete conference was jointly hosted by Silliman University, Negros Oriental State University and St. Paul University.
A report from the Silliman Information and Publications Office said the conference was part of a program called “Nurturing a Culture of Excellence in University Management through Leadership Development and Partnerships”. The professional development program is a brainchild of the Germany-based Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences in Lower Saxony and the Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana in Ypgyakarta, Indonesia.
The initiative is under the German program called DIES, or “Dialogue on Innovative Higher Education Strategies”. DIES is jointly coordinated by the German Academic Exchange Service and the German Rectors’ Conference with finding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Indonesian participants in the Dumaguete conference included university rectors, vice rectors, deans and management staff of UKDW, Universitas Kristen Wira Wacana in Nusa Tenggara Timur, Universitas Halhamera in Maluku Utara and Universitas Ottow Geissler in Jayapura.
A highlight of the conference was the sharing of best practices by the host universities. The SU information office said Silliman shared its best practices – through President Dr. Betty Cernol McCann – in integrating community engagement and Service-Learning in teaching, and research “to achieve whole-person education.” The effort, she said, requires a multifaceted approach involving curriculum changes, faculty collaboration, institutional support and a shift the culture of the academe.
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The sharing of best practices has been an innovative trend not only in educational institutions but also in, among others, business and civic organizations as well as local government units.
Prior to the pandemic, LGUs – from the regional down to the provincial, city, district and barangay levels – and non-government organizations, like cooperatives, have been engaged in Lakbay Aral activities, primarily focused on learning experiences from the sharing of best practices and also peer mentoring to enhance LGU performance.
Lakbay Aral activities have been encouraged by the Department of interior and Local Government for the improvement of public service.
While there may have been criticisms on the conduct of Lakbay Aral activities (like labelling them as sheer leisure and pleasure trips leading to abuse and waste of financial resources) especially among government organizations, it appears that – with appropriate measures and guidelines implemented – the learning experiences gained outweigh the negatives and are valued for the potential contributions they offer to organizational growth and development.
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An online platform, eLearning Industry, highlights the significance of the sharing of best practices by organizations.
The platform said the positive values of sharing of best practices are seen in, among others, the nurturance of a learning culture, identification and filling of knowledge gaps, the generation of creative and innovative ideas as well as better decision making.
It is also boosting efficiency and competence, providing employees with an internal knowledge base, reducing know-how loss and cutting down cost and time.
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We are confident that the Indonesian university officials who attended the Dumaguete conference will immediately apply the knowledge and experiences they gained when they return to their respective stations
In keeping with the direction toward the nurturance of excellence in their respective institutions.
We also hope that, with more efficient implementing guidelines put in place, more Lakbay Aral activities will resume soon for the growth of our public and private institutions.
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It was an occasion of great reminiscence and renewal of bonds when former Mass Communication and Journalism students came to see me in a spontaneous post-World Teacher’s Day (on October 5) get-together.
Thank you for the visit and the thoughts, Ransom Agui (St. La Salle Class of 2006) and wife Faith and their two boys – Nathan Xander and Elijah Ray; and UNO-R alumnae Balikbayan Daydine Alcalde, Pauline Gellecanao and Melanie Gentugaya-Pascu (Class 1988).
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If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. (Romans 12:7) | NWI
