23 May 2016 - At the sidelines of the first Eurasia Higher Education Summit (EURIE) held in Istanbul on February 17 to 19 at Haliç Congress Center in Istanbul, Turkey, Dr. Macapado Muslim, President of Mindanao State University; Dr. Maria Luisa Soliven, President of Central Mindanao University; Dr. Milabel Enriquez-Ho, President of the Western Mindanao State University; and Dr. Dammang S. Bantala, President of Cotabato City State Polytechnic College signed respective cooperation protocols with Istanbul Aydin University on February 18.

Commission on Higher Education Chairperson Dr. Patricia B. Licuanan, who led the Philippine delegation to EURIE, witnessed the signing of the protocols. Officials from the Embassy of the Philippines led by Ambassador Maria Rowena Mendoza Sanchez along with Minister and Consul General Robert O. Ferrer, Jr. were also present during the signing of the Protocol, which stipulates collaborative activities in various fields of education such as student and faculty exchanges, joint research projects, seminars and conferences, among others.

The signing took place during the delegation’s campus tour at Istanbul Aydin University upon the invitation of the President of the University Board of Trustees, Dr. Mustafa Aydin who was represented by the university Rector, Prof. Dr. Yadigar Izmirli at the signing of the protocol. The ceremony was preceded by a short presentation by Istanbul Aydin University. The delegation was also given a brief tour of its Institute of Health Sciences and the Institute of Natural and Applied Sciences to view the top-of-the-line facilities. The University Library and Dentistry Department were also visited.

The Philippine delegation also met with two Filipino students enrolled at the university, namely, Ms. Irene Soriano and Ms. Nihaya Casar. END