𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐔 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐀𝐔, 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬

Benchmarking on Tarlac Agricultural University’s (TAU) agriculture, forestry, and internationalization (IZN) programs and to explore a possible joint partnership, officials from the Lobo Campus of Batangas State University (BatSU), headed by its Campus Director, Dr. Romel Briones, consulted with their counterparts from TAU College of Agriculture and Forestry at the Library Conference Room on 9 August.

College of Education (CEd) Dean and representative of Dr. Noel J. Petero, OIC Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Claire Anne A. Olivares, welcomed the delegation during the partnership development meeting. “We hope to engage in meaningful discussions throughout your visit, forge new connections, and probe opportunities for mutually beneficial partnerships,” Dr. Olivares stated.

Dr. Olivares also added that the engagement is an “excellent opportunity” to establish a connection between TAU and BatSU and delve into the opportunities for bilateral research, cultural immersion, and the advancement of mutual objectives.

Several key officials and faculty staff from the CAF led by Dr. Agnes C. Perey, CAF Dean, shared CAF’s best practices, collaborative prospects, and curricular offerings, student and faculty mobility, Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), and research and extension initiatives. The assembly was also honored by Dr. Danilo N. Oficiar, Vice President for Student Affairs and Services.

In the afternoon, the BatSU delegates were accompanied by CAF and ELIA staff during their campus tour. Said group visited the Regional Rootcrops Research and Training Center and inspected the sweetpotato and clean planting material projects of the university.

At the Engineered Bamboo facility, the BatSU team conferred with the project staff on bamboo-based products and merchandise. They also dropped by the SMART Agriculture Center where they were informed about how precision agriculture provides real-time information needed in crucial decision-making in terms of maintaining internal temperature and humidity, nutrient solution, and schedule of planting and harvesting.