The internationalization of Cebu Normal University (CNU) is keen to involve the integration of international and intercultural dimensions to mark its position among the prominent educational institutions in Asia and the Pacific region. The National Association of Foreign Student Advisers (NAFSA) Annual Conference & Expo is a forum attended by professionals and international education leaders to discover emerging trends in student mobility, establish new partnerships, participate in networking opportunities, and identify upcoming marketplace needs. This year, NAFSA’s theme is “Inspiring an Inclusive Future.” As such, CNU embarked on this opportune mission aligned with the university’s internationalization priorities and strategies.

The External Affairs and International Linkages Office in response to the invitation from the Commission on Higher Education International Affairs Staff invited Dr. Ma. Socorro G. Manaloto, Dean of the CNU-Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) College of Medicine, to represent CNU. CNU’s participation in the international forum is aimed at crafting comprehensive internationalization pathways, enhancing the international reputation, visibility, and branding of CNU, establishing new partnerships with international Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), and exploring collaborative opportunities in student and faculty mobility, curriculum development, and research.

Dr. Manaloto’s mission highlights include meetings with different United States HEIs and discussions on potential avenues for partnerships. For instance, the meeting with Lin Larson of the

College of Engineering of the University of Texas at Arlington offered a possible workshop collaboration with the College of Medicine  (COM) and College of Nursing for Medical Informatics; CNU COM curriculum includes Informatics for Level 2 students. The feasibility of exchange programs for both undergraduate and graduate levels in Biology, Psychology, and Medicine, were discussed with the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Other U.S. HEIs in connection were the Texas Tech University Health Service Center, Kansas State University, University of Arizona, Loyola Marymount University of California, and York College of Pennsylvania. The conversations encompassed academic and research collaborations, Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), internship programs, and virtual simulations. The last day of the conference involved a final debriefing with Ms. Christine Grace Catindig of the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines.

Dr. Manaloto remarked that the NAFSA 2023 Conference and Expo has opened doors for internationalization and is a new step to global commitment.