Bulacan State University Creates Connections & Linkages with Universities in Italy

Five faculty members from the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy (CSSP) left for Rome, Italy to present their individual research paper output during the 11th International Conference on Sustainable Development (ICSD 2023) on 6-7 September 2023 at the Roma Eventi, Congress Center, Piazza della Pilotta, 4, Rome, Italy. Research titles are as follows: “Preliminary Results of Angat, Bulacan Riverways Mapping: Immediate Response to Environmental Protection” (Prof Dr Angel S. Recto); “SOLIDARIDAD: Sustainability of the Quality of Life of the People of Plaridel, Bulacan, Philippines” (Assist Prof Albert G. Romero); “Superstitious Beliefs Among Small-Scale Cockfighters in Bulacan, Philippines” (Assist Prof Melito C. Cruz); “Panata at Pananampalataya sa Panahon ng Pandemya: Sustainability of Religious Cultural Practices Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic” (Assoc Prof Sherwin M. Pariñas); and “The Quality of Family Life of the Tricycle Drivers in the National Capital Region (NCR), Philippines” (Prof Romeo D.C. Inasoria, DPA). Prior to this event, the Group paid a visit to the Philippine Ambassador to Italy, Neal Imperial for some relevant talks on research, collaborations with Italian universities, extension programs, and the like. A day before the conference proper, the Group conducted benchmarking at the Roma Tre Universitá Degli Studi located at Via Ostiense in Rome, Italy.

The officers in charge have expressed their willingness to collaborate with Bulacan State University in various programs like philosophy, psychology, public governance, architecture, arts and humanities, and the like. Right after the conference in Rome, the Group went to the Universitá Degli Studi di Firenze located at Piazza S. Marco, Florence, Italy to discuss certain matters regarding educational institution collaborations on exchange students and faculty; research and extension; and other educational matters between the Bulacan State University and the University of Florence. The latter has particular programs from bachelor to doctoral like philosophy, public governance, psychology, social sciences, and architecture in the English language, however, candidates for exchange students and faculty must, at least, have a background in the Italian language. Moreover, academic researchers and funders from the Ulster University in the United Kingdom and the University of the Virgin Islands have expressed their collaborative willingness with the Bulacan State University.

The presence of the CSSP faculty in Italy, as a whole, is beneficial for the Bulacan State University in the realms of research and extension (or the “Third Mission” as the Universitá Degli Studi Roma Tre has coined it) collaborations; exchange students and faculty; and the like. The aforementioned universities are waiting for the best practices collaborations with the Bulacan State Universities through the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy.